NBA players plead to stay in Games

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and other NBA stars are pleading their case to keep the Olympics from becoming a 23-and-under event but there are indications the superstars' advice is falling upon deaf ears.

"It's a stupid idea. Basically it's a dumb idea and (Olympic players talk about) it that way," Bryant said. "It should be a player's choice. The Olympics is about putting the best players on that stage."

NBA commissioner David Stern has said the 23-and-under Olympic format used by football would be a perfect model for basketball, NBA owners being unhappy they pay many millions of dollars to stars who risk injury for Olympic teams.

"Post-London Olympics, we want to step back. We want to take a...

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