Serge Ibaka Upset With the Olympics - Rant Sports

Eric Hartline - US PRESSWIRE

Just when we thought Serge Ibaka was having a great time playing with Spain, and trying to overcome USA and win gold… well, obviously that wasn’t the case. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward found himself sitting on the bench in crucial games, not fitting into the rotation at times, and in three games played six minutes or fewer in the Olympics. Even though Ibaka didn’t show he was unhappy, he clearly was, according to this report from the Spanish website El Mundo, via HoopsHype:

“His anger was public, and clandestine, during the Games. After the selection of training, while the other players shared coffee or fruit, the forward of the Thunder put as much distance as possible. The day before the final, for example, only on the bus waited for half an hour and looking angry.

The evening before the semifinals wandered through a field near the stadium, so unfriendly gesturing while talking on the phone … That rebellion was not directed against their peers but against the coach, Sergio Scariolo. The Congolese forward felt underused and questioned his playing time. “If things continue like this I will not return,” he acknowledged to his close before the end.”

What does this mean? Not much. Heck, if I was Serge, I’d be upset as well. After leading the league in block shots last year, he gets rewarded by not playing a lot in the Olympics with Spain? That just flat out doesn’t make sense to me. I guess he can’t wait until training camp starts and he gets back to playing with the guys he lost to in the Gold Medal game.

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