A lot of the players have said they'd rather win a gold medal than an NBA championship. Which is more important? Which one would you rather win?

I would definitely rather win a gold medal for my country.

1. There's only one chance every four years.
2. You're playing for your country on the world's biggest stage.
3. You actually have to be selected to play.

Unfortunately the media here hypes up the NBA so much that they make it seem like an NBA championship is so much bigger.

Come on, the NBA Championship by a long shot. A team has a harder shot winning the NBA Championship.. I mean face it.. You're a Bulls fan.. Let's just say you started watching Basketball AFTER the Jordan years, so chances are you won't be seeing that Championship run for a hell of a long time, and when it does come by you'll cherish that moment for the rest of your life. Sure the Olympics come every 4 years, but what are the chances that the American team will not win the gold. Assuming they will win it this year they have won it 4 out of the past 5 years.. off the top of my head, and many more prior to that.

If anything I'd think the world championship of basketball is more imprtant that the Olympic as it cators to basketball and basketball only, on the international scene. Not to mention it is sanctioned as FIBA's highest honor.. or at least should be as I said above.

It's easy to take something for granted when you win it so easily almost every time. Doesn't make it any less valuable.

I'd say winning the NBA championship is probably a lot harder than winning a gold. I mean, most NBA teams could probably (hypothetically) beat any other country's team. I realize a lot of NBA players play for other countries but even if there was a way to clone people I'd say the NBA teams for the most part are individually better than the individual country teams.

I'd say winning easily does make it less valuable. When it comes to winning, an intense game or series of games will always feel better to win in the end than a freebie.

Well we can relate this very easily to Olympic Hockey Gold vs Stanley Cup. I'm sure you'll understand if I tell you this way.. 1st of all,
Okay, you're right so forget Canada's 7 gold medals at the games.

I saw Canada win the gold in Salt Lake 2002, you remeber that right? Anyways.. as good as it was being a fan of my team.. which I follow every year, which I watch every year, which players are part of my community. It makes it harder for you to be happier with a national team winning the most prestigious prize on the face of the earth, to a domestic league's team winning their championship.

I guess it all comes down to how much of a die hard fan you are to your city's team or whatever. If I've been a Habs fan for most of my life, and they have only won the Stanley Cup when I was 6 (if you can consider that as me witnessing and appreciating a Championship team) deep down inside I'd appreciate a Stanley Cup more

If I was a Die hard Spurs fan I'd consider the mini dynasty of 1999, 2003, 2007 more valuable to me than 10+ gold medals of US basketball.

I'm gonna say the gold medal. Even with the argument about it being less valuable due to easier competition, it's just the history of the Olympics and the medals stands out much more than some NBA Championship. If you get the gold, that means you beat every other countries best.

IT's very hard to choose in my opinion. But I'd take the Gold Medal as well. Your representing your country, not a lot players have the chance to do that. Also like Echoes mentioned it's only every four years, and if you miss on oppurtunity, who knows if you'll ever get the chance to win another one. If you play 20 years in the NBA, then you have 20 chances of winning the Larry O'brien trophy.

So my vote goes to Gold Medal, I believe it's more special

NBA.

I'm just thinking along the lines of Football (since basketball to the US is what football is to France). No one really cares *much* whether the team wins the Olympics - it's just one of the medals the country gets. No one even cares if they join or not. People remember more who won local championships or Euro/World Cup but will find it hard to recall whoever won the Olympics Football gold medal. The NBA might happen yearly but it's an event made specifically to focus on basketball and talents related to it; whereas the basketball games in the Olympics is just "one of those games".

For personal preference I'd rather win a gold medal then win any of the major championship in AMerica. Except MAYBE the World Series...maybe.

The Olympics are to basketball as the World Cup is to football. Nobody cares about football in the Olympics because the top players and a lot of the top teams aren't even playing.