Samuel Dalembert got booted from Team Canada. And today, after reading speculation that is was because of his entourage and high-maintenance behavior, he spoke out about his side of the story:
“I’d be happy to represent Canada when things get more organized and structured,” Dalembert said. “The guys [on the team] know I work hard. I wish them well, for Canada. I want them to win, to give Canada some pride, to go to the Olympics. But sometimes a man has to stand up.”
Dalembert said it was “disappointing” that anyone would question his commitment to his adopted country, and to the team for which he has played in back-to-back summers after full seasons with the Sixers.
Dalembert said his so-called entourage included a close friend, his girlfriend, and his high school coach from Montreal and his wife.
“I don’t have a ‘crew,’ ” he said. “I have four nice people.”
He said he upgraded his hotel accommodations when he realized his room was “so small, I could hardly walk in.”
“I wanted to be comfortable,” he said. “There were no mandatory team meals, and I couldn’t eat some of the food, so I ate with the people with whom I was traveling. Four people. They came to the games. They were the only people in the arena cheering for Canada. It’s amazing to me what I’m hearing.
“I had a bad game against Slovenia, but the coach wanted to talk to me 5 minutes before the bus left for the game against Korea. Why didn’t he talk to me after the last game?”
He did not deny that voices were raised, and said Rautins asked him to leave the bus.
“I said, ‘No, I’m playing for Canada,’ ” Dalembert said. “He asked me to leave again. I walked away.”
Dalembert, angry and frustrated at how he has been portrayed, said that he and his group have changed hotels and that he planned to return to the United States in several days.
“Now I see why it has been so difficult to get [NBA] guys to play for Canada,” he said. “I’m very disappointed. I know how to differentiate business and pleasure. This is children’s stuff. I don’t throw people under the bus. I don’t trash the coach.
“But I read stuff that came from ‘a source.’ I like people to come forward. I heard that I’m a prima donna. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do that. I said I’d do anything to help raise money for Canada. I had one bad game, and I’m not committed? Please.”
So usually when a guy leaves the NBA for overseas ball, I assume one of three things:
- they couldn’t cut it (aka Trajan Langdon)
- the player is old and trying to get a little more cash overseas before hanging it up (aka Mychal Thompson, the rumored Chris Webber deal)
- the player was from overseas and realized he was simply a marginal NBA player who could play to more acclaim overseas (aka Sarunas Jasikevicius)
After seeing the terms Carlos Delfino signed for yesterday when weighing an offer between the Pistons and Khimki Moscow, I’m thinking there is a little more to overseas ball then I gave it credit for. Delfino inked a deal worth $30 million over three years, an average of $10 million per year. To put that in perspective, Delfino just got paid on a level that should be close to what many expect Deng, Igoudala, and Josh Smith to sign for.
Continue reading ‘NBA News from a Cavalier Perspective - 7/18′
Loading ...
