19 Jul 2012

Bryant dismisses Olympic age cap idea as 'stupid'

12:07 pm on 19 July 2012

Kobe Bryant, the face of the US men's basketball team, says it would lessen the Olympics if the NBA put an age limit on players taking part in future Olympics.

The NBA Commissioner David Stern has spoken about the possibility of limiting participation in the Olympic basketball tournament to players aged 23 and under following the London Games - as it is with the football competition.

But Bryant told reporters ahead of Team USA's Olympic friendly against Britain that it's a stupid idea and it should be a player's choice.

NBA team owners are understood to be concerned about the greater potential for injuries and fatigue suffered by the top players while they represent their national teams during the league's off season.

But Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and a member of the US team that won gold at the 2008 Olympics, feels anything but the world's best players is not acceptable when it comes to international competition.