After this shortened NBA season is officially over, there will be a handful of the best and brightest NBA players that will head to London, England to represent the United States in the 2012 Olympic Games. As they did four years ago in Beijing, China, Team USA will has gold medal aspirations once again with Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), LeBron James (Miami Heat), Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) leading the way.

Even though the core of Team USA is intact with LeBron and Kobe back in the fold, there has been some debate as of late about NBA players getting compensated for playing for Team USA. Two big-name players that have recently come out in support of getting compensated for playing overseas for the United States are Ray Allen (Boston Celtics) and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat).

Both of these NBA champions have openly expressed their opinion about getting compensated to play for their country. Obviously, over the centuries of competing in the Olympics Games, no one gets compensated as it is an honor in itself to represent the United States or whatever country you may be from.

It is no secret now that NBA players might be disagreeing with this thought of playing for Team USA simply to win a gold medal for the country with no compensation for doing so. The players do have a legitimate gripe with their livelihood being their body and their ability to play at a high level in the NBA to earn their income. With taking extra time and traveling overseas to play for Team USA they are risking their careers and compensation would be a good way to entice players to play for their country from here on out.

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