Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 at 4:50 pm  |  62 responses

Dwyane Wade Also Thinks NBA Olympians Should Be Paid


Ray Allen made waves with his comments last night about his feelings regarding Olympic participants being properly compensated. Dwyane Wade, it turns out, shares a similar opinion (For what it’s worth, teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh declined to adopt a stance one way or another on the matter.) From ESPN: “Count two-time Olympian and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade among those who believe NBA players should be paid for playing with Team USA in the Olympics. Wade, the leading scorer on the 2008 national team that won a gold medal in China, said he agreed with Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen that players should be compensated for their time participating in the Summer Games. Allen first addressed the issue Tuesday night in an interview with FoxSports.com before the Celtics beat the Heat in Miami. [...] ‘It’s a lot of things you do for the Olympics — a lot of jerseys you sell,’ Wade said. ‘We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it … The biggest thing is now you get no rest,’ Wade said. ‘So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You’re giving up a lot to do it. It’s something you want to do. But it’s taxing on your body. You’re not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.’ [...] ‘I think (jersey) licensing could be a way … maybe licensing may not be fair because everybody won’t get the same amount. (There) should be some way. But that’s something they’ve got to worry about because this will be my last time around.’”

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  • abaci

    So much for pride.

  • http://juan.garcia@computershare.com MP

    Sure. Pay’em what active soldiers make.

  • bike

    I can’t believe these guys are saying this stuff.

  • shawnkemp4prez

    C.R.E.A.M.

  • http://www.andywhitby.com Andy Whitby

    Does more money make u less tired ???

  • Fresh Boirdee

    You do have the option of just not playing. What part of volunteering are they not understanding? All expenses are paid, your shoe company probably sets up some promotional events, and you are playing the game you supposedly love on one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stage in the world. If you don’t want to play, stay home and let someone who really wants to play the possible opportunity.

  • Vinnamese

    Money > National Pride

  • Bwill

    Id rather see a bunch of guys out there scrapping for a W because they want to win for their country than these great athletes who keep whining about what is owed to them… this is a platform to showcase your talent to the world, to play alongside the greatest players in the L, to make history, to win GOLD for USA! Nobody is forced to do this, they can go film a subway commercial and collect a check instead of participating in the world games.

  • http://redoftoothandclaw.ca/ niQ

    @Andy, no it won’t make them less tired. But it gives them incentives work overtime.

  • http://www.twitter.com/clearheatvision Raj

    lol duh Andy. Props, niQ.

  • Mike Mihalow

    “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” -JFK

  • Shifty

    Yeah and look what happened to JFK

  • JH35Gr

    i cant belive these ppl are saying that either …but if other Olympians are getting paid NBA players should get paid too BUT only if they will the GOLD or else notthing haha

  • tomtom

    Nobody is forcing these guys to play, smh. They don’t seem to realise the traditions of the games, its about pride and love for what you do. Smfh these guys don’t already realise that they are blessed, so greedy, so much for giving back, if not to your country then to your sport.

  • CubicleWorker

    lol @ Andy
    An niQ do you think an extra $10K/game or w.e will be enough motivation? If so, do you think that’s the appropriate motivation for players to be having in the olympics?
    What about athletes that train non-stop from early childhood to mid-twenties just for a shot at olympic gold in whatever sport that will never make millions. They aren’t getting paid to be there (save for endorsements which these players already have).

  • LA Huey

    Why did SLAM decide to create a whole new post about this instead of just amending the Ray Allen post about the same thing with an update?

  • LA Huey

    Cubicle worker, what about all the business types that organize the games? Should they only be compensated for room and board since their incentive for being apart of this should be what the Olympics are supposed to be about: goodwill?

  • CubicleWorker

    LA Huey that’s such an asinine remark it’s not even worthy of an in-depth response.

    Also D-Wade is talking specifically about getting preferential treatment for being a basketball player as opposed to being an athlete of any other sport which is what my comments are about. You’re comments are questioning the entire concept of the olympics which is not what this article is addressing.

  • Zabbah

    I’m with Wade. They’re supposed to get their rest during the off season. Also, they make money off them. Without the athletes they’d be broke. It’s time they share the wealth they’ve made off their names.

  • naoanaoa

    I wudnt want someone who wants to get paid for something that is a privilege and an honor on my team. Thank god im spanish. ARRIBA ESPAÑA

  • LA Huey

    Cubicle, well, if it turns out their presence at the Olympics doesn’t increase profits anymore than the cats competing in archery, badminton, or handball, then Wade is being silly. But it sounds like you’re just doing your usual “I envy pro athletes” routine.

  • kb24mj23

    Wow… I’m in the Navy, and this definately lowers my respect for Wade… He’s always been one of my favorite guys in the league, but this… As much as any NBA players gets paid to play the game of baskeyball, in a country that was made safe by men and women making a tiny fraction of that, he should feel ridiculous asking to get paid to represent his country by playing a game. It should be an honor to represent the US in the Olympics.

  • tomtom

    NOBODY IS FORCING HIM TO PLAY. Period.

  • http://slamonline.com 1982

    I think I understand what people are trying to say – that these are millionaires playing a game, and that playing for your country should be a matter of pride. But lets just ask the commenters who are making a good enough living – people who get paid a good amount of money to do, let’s say sell real estate. So you’re comfortable money wise – and then suddenly someone says, “hey, want to sell real estate for your country? Your suit will have a US flag on it, and you get to play for your country and be shown on TV. But we don’t pay you, and we sell jackets just like the one you’re wearing for $150 a pop and you don’t see that money either. Wanna do it?”

  • http://slamonline.com 1982

    And to kb24mj23, I have to make this clear – the sacrifice people like you make cannot be compared to ANYTHING anyone else does. Not pro-basketball, not teaching, not even being President. You’re service makes anything pale in comparison. It’s kind of not an argument in that sense – comparing serving your country to any other job is pointless – you get the win hands down. The difference is you probably wouldn’t trade the time off that you get when you come back home for anything (especially since you likely use it to spend long lost time with your family, friends, etc), besides a ton of cash. He’s saying the same thing…because the summer is for resting after an 82 game season, or a playoff run if you were lucky.

  • LA Huey

    ^I would if the suit WAS American flag just so I could make Craig Sager envy me.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ5LpwO-An4&feature=related Copacabanban

    I disagree. You should be proud to play for your country, not be motivated by money.

  • dma

    um. i’m pretty sure you are already paid for playing for the olympic team. every time i any announcer on tv, or read an article about “Former Olympian Carlos Boozer” i want to throw up because i know it helped land him a bigger contract or endorsement. you may not be paid directly for it, dwade, but just know that you’re getting paid each time your name is mentioned.

  • TW

    I want to get paid every time I watch Wade on TV. LOL

  • Heals

    Damn DW3 if only you had commented in the RayRay piece. Would’ve given us trying to defend what he said more cred. Seriously though ya’ll need to go to the Olympic village and see how $$$ they make off TeamUSA apparrel with specific player names on them, shhts way over priced. Gotta love the media playing “telephone” with RayRay’s quotes. He said they SHOULD ONLY BE COMPED FOR JERSEYS (uggghhhh I had to go all caps and I HATE all caps, ugghhhh not again dammit)…

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    My man! Huey is on point, including the pain of having two threads on the same subject, lol.
    @ CubicleWorker: I don’t think people should be motivated by money but being that we live in a capitalist society (unfortunately), why is it that athletes and artists and performers and other employees/workers are constantly expected to not seek material gains when that is all that the owners/sponsors/politicians care about?

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    We don’t need Wade or Allen on the Olympic team anyway. Wade acts like, Miami is Bron City now and Allen is coming off the bench. They both should be proud to play on the team if given the chance. Wade has change alot, he got that Bron Pride now.

  • Ranlygeorge

    National pride my a**. America is back where it was in the 40′s and 50′s , hell even earlier.
    Look all these Racist bull sh*t going on this this country. You want my time, pay me…

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Do World Cup players get paid?

  • robb

    You don’t wanna do it Wade? don’t f*cking do it.

  • L.B.

    Whomever plays in the Olympics, should be paid. Everyone can multitask, meaning: be proud to play for their country, and enjoy getting paid for it, as well. They are artist, therefore, ANY commercial artist is always paid, as well as celebrated. They have families too.

  • http://Juanm.garcia@comcast.net KingsWithRings

    Pay them the same amount as active soldiers make. Problem solved. If that’s too little for them then fk’em.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    represent what country? the land that was stolen from the natives americans, that country?

  • Lloyd

    They have the choice not to play. If they need any other incentive than glory and winning on the world stage to prove that you’re the best in the world, then you don’t want to be there and you just don’t volunteer. Wade is a whiny little girl now anyway. I never thought Ray would say that though…hugely disappointed.

    KingsWithRings are you seriously comparing these players to the soldiers who risk their lives fighting for justice and freedom? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

  • JB

    DWade, STFU!!!

  • Fej

    You guys obviously don’t know how tiring it is for these players. I’m in high school and after every quarter I’m huffing and puffing like there’s no tomorrow. Olympians should get paid, FOR REPRESENTING THEIR COUNTRY. If I could choose to be a big time architect or be an Olympian, I’d choose the architect because all those achievements won’t last forever and you will not be able to provide for yourself and others, unless you get sponsored big time. Which is unlikely.

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    I’m a teacher. I love what I do. I get paid extra for teaching in the summer because that’s my “down time”. Schools get paid HUGE bucks to offer summer classes. There’s NO WAY I would volunteer a month of my summer working for free knowing how much money these schools make off of each student. This is what Wade’s talking about, only on a much much much MUCH greater scale. And no, seeing the smiles on these teenagers’ faces and knowing that I may have made a difference in their lives isn’t enough. PAY ME!!! And let’s stop comparing serving for one’s country to defending the basketball honor of one’s country. That’s just foolish!

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF30WneDtQc Datkid

    I’d be alright with them getting paid. after all this IS a huge wear on their bodies. and if people are making money off selling olympic jerseys, why shouldn’t the people who are actually playing?

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    I’m pretty sure Jerry Colangelo gets paid to assemble the team of players. I’m pretty sure Coach K gets paid for coaching the team of players. I’m pretty sure Nike will make millions for making the jerseys that the team of players will wear. I’m pretty sure NBC will make millions for airing the team’s games. So why is it that the players are the only ones expected to perform for free?

  • http://leipzig-eagles.de/ Speedy

    The question is, how much they want to get paid.
    Is it the average salary that all olympic athletes get or such a ridiculous amount of money they get paid in the league or from their sponsors.

  • EJ

    @Teddy, what’s wrong with a capitalist society? Free market is where it’s at, the problem is that it’s corrupt.

  • ttc

    ^^^
    “what’s wrong with a capitalist society?” how ingorant is that? I understand these guys want to get paid, but why say it publicly..?? few would see their point, since they make more money in a year than most of us will ever make in our lifetime..it was the same with the lockout..Wade and Allen hav a point, but no need to share it with the general public…

  • ttc

    ..and corruption is not a problem in a capitalist society, it’s just part of it..

  • A.

    @Red: Yes. Very well too, just not as much as their regular salaries. And they get massive bonuses for winning it all.

  • Leoni

    simple: Wade & Allen – Marcenaries

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