Greg Monroe Thinks He Was Snubbed by USA Basketball

Greg Monroe feels that he deserved to be part of the Select Team that practiced against the U.S. Olympic Basketball team that’s headed to London this summer. Monroe thinks he was snubbed by the selection committee. Per the Detroit News: “He was snubbed by the selection committee, he feels, especially when he looked at the Select Team’s roster that competed against the National Team in Las Vegas. When backup forwards like the Hornets’ Lance Thomas (4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds) barely survive the NBA season, receiving two 10-day contracts, but get an invite to play against the prospective Olympians and get in the pipeline for the 2016 Games, it’s difficult to argue with his feelings. When Boston’s Greg Stiemsma — the same Greg Stiemsma who averaged 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds — was on the initial roster and Monroe isn’t, perhaps he has a beef. ‘No disrespect to those guys, looking at the Select Team roster, I felt like I should’ve been on there,’ Monroe said. ‘That’s just the confidence I have in myself.’ Of the bigs invited to Las Vegas, only the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins had a season comparable to Monroe (15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds). DaJuan Blair (Spurs), Derrick Favors (Jazz) and Taj Gibson (Bulls) haven’t shown to be in Monroe’s class, yet got invitations. With the international game being a more wide-open style of play, a great passing big man like Monroe could be of some use, and it’s puzzling to think he wasn’t given serious consideration this time around. ‘I am just a little bit disappointed,’ Monroe said. ‘I think, (although) some people don’t think so, I should’ve at least been invited. All of those guys deserved it.’ USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said earlier last week he was committed to bringing Thomas and Stiemsma, who played on the Pan American games that won a bronze medal last summer. Some feel politics are involved, considering Thomas played at Duke and his college coach, Mike Krzyzewski, coaches the Olympic Team. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has been heavily involved in USA basketball and might have pushed for Blair. There’s a feeling in some circles there is a quiet backlash against Monroe’s agent, David Falk, who has been influential in the NBA for the past three decades.”