Why Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, & LeBron James Shouldn’t Have Won FIBA Americas MVPSeptember 03 07 Yes, Team USA brought American basketball back with their dominant play at the FIBA Americas Tournament in Vegas. Stars and Stripes mauled every opponent, winning games by an average of more than thirty points.
But Team USA didn’t leave with all the silverware: Argentine forward Luis Scola won the MVP award. Michael Lee, of the Washington Post, explains why Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James should have won MVP instead of Scola.
Yet, when the ballots were turned in, Luis Scola received eight votes, Carmelo got six, Kobe got three, LeBron got two and Leandro Barbosa got one. When the word got out about the final results, the immediate conclusion among most reporters was that most of the Latin American writers chose Scola, while the Americans split the votes. Then, I found out that two Americans actually voted for Scola. How un-American is that? I jokingly approached one of the American writers about voting for Scola and he said, "I sure did. Argentina wouldn’t be here without him." I won’t out the writer unless he outs himself. I have to respect him for sticking to his guns. Doesn’t make him right, though. Scola is nice, but you mean to tell me that Carmelo wouldn’t have dominated this tournament if he played for Puerto Rico; that LeBron wouldn’t have been amazing playing for Canada or the Virgin Islands? I know those guys couldn’t play for those countries, I’m just trying to put what they did into perspective. They shouldn’t be discredited for being surrounded by superior talent. The U.S. would not have been that dominant without them.
My Quick Take: I agree with Lee. Scola was outstanding, but the United States was easily the tournament’s best team, so in some respects Anthony, Bryant, or James should have won MVP. But, in a weird way, it was fitting no American won MVP. The United States succeeded in Vegas because of their teamwork. Everybody sacrificed their numbers and minutes for the greater good. And by coming together, they buried the perception that Americans play basketball like individuals. You know the perception I’m talking about. Right or wrong, fair or not, Euros and South Americans believe the streetball, highlight clip culture has ruined basketball in the United States. Foreigners believe the Yanks can’t win because players think I, me, and ESPN Sportscenter, before us, we, and fundamentals. Nonsense. What’s ironic is that the best international ballers, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, and Dirk Nowitzki, have elements of ‘Americana’ in their game. They’ve become the best in the world because they modeled themselves after classic Americans. Nash passes like Magic Johnson. Parker drives to the hole like Isiah Thomas. And Dirk shoots the lights out like Larry Bird. So let Scola have MVP. Team USA showed that American basketball isn’t all about the individual and still has plenty to offer. That’s more important than a trophy. Agree or disagree with Oly Sandor’s take? Should an American have won MVP? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts. Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.
Posted by
KB24#1FAN2DAFULLEST
on 09.7.2007 | if it was someone on the usa to get it , it should of went to melo im the one whod say kobe should get every award just for him beein out there cus he is the best nba player and athlete in the world ,, he was there on the usa team and made the biggest difference out of every 1 and he wasnt even shootin now u no that if theres a player out there doin damage without even shootin then he is the best in the world no doubt about it.... lebron and melo r great but u cant compare them to kobe hes just the best...melo really brought it out with all the points so since mvp usually goes to the person with the most avearged points it goes to melo....this usa team r the greatest chemistry they work great together , i see they gold in 08 and wit the addition of dwade its unstoppable...just imagine KOBE, DWADE,MELO,BRON JUST THOSE FOR ALONE MAKES UR JAW DROP ESPECIALLY KOBE!KB24#14LIFE..GO USA DO YA THANG!!! . | Posted by
dunk720asa
on 09.7.2007 | i think it should be lebron cause he is the most complete player in the us team,in terms of points, assists and rebounds...hence he was i a team with all superstars.. . | Posted by
alexis-1baller
on 09.6.2007 | i think that they should of have do the vote different like check in the last season who was the best to get the mvp cause that could of helped you kno?? . | Posted by
kb24#1fan2dafullest
on 09.5.2007 | in regards to kobe lebron and wade havin the same game its not true u cant go say that cus kobe has proved himself well ova all of them no hate to wade lebron and mels game im big fan of them and thier phenomenal its just kobe is betta his athleticism n everything .. yea wade bron and melo are great but there not as great as kobe is kobe is the best there is was and ever will be .. in the first ten yrs of his career his in my opinion as good as micheal even betta by the end of his career he will be the most talked about best athlete best bball player there was and ever will be, kobe bryant is just the best ... props does go out to melo bron and wade they are just phenemenal and its still real early in thier career they still have lots of years ahead of them to even get better,kobe has just been thier to long to compare him to them.. . | Posted by
phi
on 09.5.2007 | Out of all players..i think melo man should have taken it..he has step up in every game..ppl dont credit melo as much..i dunno why james,wade & bryant has pretty much the same game as melo...melo should have taken it... btw dont discredit scola, he sure did deserve mvp too...he took his team to the finals.. hes gonna be a great fit for houston...watch out for yao & scola..both are gonna do some damage!!! . | Posted by
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on 09.4.2007 | I don’t think Scola should have the MVP - Someone argued that he is the man on his team and everyone knew that, yet he still was among the leaders in points and rebounds... how about Kobe Bryant on the Lakers? He is the man every year, does the absolute most 1 person can possibly do, and he probably will never win an MVP. This is about the best player on the best team, which was probably Bryant. Defense, pace-setting, big shots, consistency, playmaking - He did everything, and should have won the award. . | Posted by
kb24#1fan2dafullest
on 09.4.2007 | that is so true aint no one that is gonna put kobe bryant on bench i dont care of ya bring me mj and the whole dream team them all 2gether aint betta than kobe.. no hate to dwade i have madd love for him but we talking about kobe bryant we talkin about kobe bryant yall no who kobe is , the best nba player and athlete there is ,wasand ever will be.dwade is a phanemenol player but puttin kobe on bench is just ridiculous,, but i would love the startin five to have kobe , dwade, melo , and lebron, with a center thats beyond great chemistry i dont think theyll do that though , they would want kidd to play point instead of wade,, but really kobe dwade lebron and melo you can tell those 4 are just so natural 2gether and unstoppable.. i hope theyll let them 4 play together....kobe bryant for the record is the best there is was and ever will be and i mean ever....kb24#14life . | Posted by
Rico
on 09.4.2007 | I think this article is ignorant. Say what you want about Luis Scola’s MVP but the stats don’t lie. The man was the leading scorer of the tournament for Argentina as well as their leading rebounder. He averaged 19.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg. This is without Walter Hermann, Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni on the squad. They were expected to not even qualify for a medal but the man willed his team at times to wins. he shot 56% from the floor (55% if you include his lone 3P attempt).WHY does he DESERVE his MVP? Because everyone KNEW he was the man for his team and he still got his numbers. The same cannot be said about Esteban Batista or Leandro Barbosa.The US? Sure they were dominant. But they were dominant as a WHOLE. If you take one of those stars out of this team and place them with other lesser players, their stats would have been as good or better, sure, but would they have been able to elevate their teammates’ play as Scola did?We know Kobe can’t do it in the NBA, nor can LeBron. Melo hasn’t made it out of the second round yet. Yes, they’re different levels and different competition but the point still stands. Besides, who are you going to give it to without insulting the other players? Kobe? LeBron? Melo? Howard? If you’re trying to build a TEAM then, and this is especially relevant to the US Team this year, having ONE individual player win it would cause sore feelings and possibly lesser team play in order to prove that "I deserved the MVP".Think about that. Come the Olympics, the fact that an American didn’t win the MVP might be the best thing for them. . | Posted by
Real Talk
on 09.4.2007 | What does MVP stand for? I saw a movie where it ’Most Valuable Primate’...is that the case here? It doesn’t seem quite right but it sure could be. Does anyone actually know? The best dude on the team though was definately Steve Kerr...people don’t know this but when Steve Kerr is ripped and has awesome muscles! . | Posted by
b4hoops.blogspot.com
on 09.4.2007 | Scola deserves the MVP. Argentina wouldn’t be in the final game without him (so, he fits the moniker of most valuable player to his team). You can’t really say that with as much certainty about Kobe, LeBron on Carmelo. If he can physically endure the long NBA season, Scola will be such a great fit for Houston next year. . | Posted by
mackendy
on 09.4.2007 | you crazy d wade start over kobe bryant the master of the game even michael jordan cannot put kobe on the bench you crazy . | Posted by
mackendy
on 09.4.2007 | i think camelo should be the MVP even do i love kobe bryant his the best player in the game and lebron james but melo is the leading score . | Posted by
on 09.4.2007 | when is d-wade cumin bak, will he start ova kobe in olympics . | Posted by
on 09.4.2007 | 2813308004 . | Posted by
valedise
on 09.4.2007 | Scola deserved the mvp! lebron, kobe and carmelo were the best players there but none of them were as important to their team as scola was to argentina. US without lebron, still would have won!! plus which of the three would u give it to, u can’t say one of the three deserved it more than the others. They played a team game and they should be applauded for that; sacrificing individual achievement is the price of that . | Posted by
on 09.4.2007 | rockest have 4 potential allstars now, t-mac, and yao, already all stars, steve freancis, 3 time former all star, and luis scola, who has won many mvp trophies. they also have shane battier and chuck hayes for great hustle . | Posted by
on 09.4.2007 | lol these rocket fans are funny scola isn’t gonna make them that better in the first year or 2 it’s gonna take a while these stats are in international play he won’t be as good in the nba lol that one guy at teh bottom is freakin out"t-mac, yao, scola. What are u talkin about it’s more like t-mac, yao. scola wont’ have that big an impact till later in his career . | Posted by
on 09.3.2007 | i think that Barbosa should have gotten more than one vote... Brazil only got fourth, but Barbosa was simply amazing in all of the games, except the U.S game but one can hardly blame him because of he was guarded by Kobe with at least two others shadowing him every time he touched the ball... Barbosa i believe led the tournament in ppg, including 36 and 32 and 27 point efforts. Carmel0 and Scola were fantastic as well... I would have voted for ’Melo, but i think Barbosa should have finished in the top three and not 5th. . | Posted by
HoopsBlogging.com
on 09.3.2007 | I agree with the voting. I don’t believe the MVP is for the best player in the tournament, but rather than the most valuable player to his team.I know many people argue over the definition of MVP - but by that definition, Luis Scola is the MVP.Without Kobe, Melo, and Lebron - USA would have still dominated.Without Scola, Argentina would be hoping to qualify NEXT YEAR, because they wouldn’t have made the finals without him. . |
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Oly Sandor | Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More |
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