It has been reported that many players and coaches have expressed private reservations about US stars playing in events such as the World Championship in Japan last year and August's Americas qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

Elton Brand, a power forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, said he would review whether he continued his committment to the US team at the end of this season.

 

The top players have committed themselves only up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the situation will be reviewed after that.

 

That agreement came in the wake of a disappointing third-place US finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics and was supposed to give USA Basketball a pool of talent to field top teams as needed without an excessive load on those unwilling to bear it.

 

The "Dream Team" concept was born at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 when a team containing NBA mega-stars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley steamrolled their way to the gold medal.

 

The fear is that it is now turning into something of a nightmare.

 

Indiana president Donnie Walsh said: "There's no doubt that it takes a toll on the players."

 

LA Clippers coach has said he will not ask Brand not to make himself available to the US but added: "There is a case that players who play in the summertime after a long NBA season put themselves at risk as far as getting worn down."

 

While having US talent in international events is a huge marketing boost for the NBA, the compromise of mental and physical wear and tear could contribute to similar woes as football club teams have with World Cup and UEFA campaigns.

 

But the one thing that might persuade the top players to continue committing to the Olympics is that their shoe sponsors often offer huge bonuses - usually up to $500,000 - for them to compete in the Games because of the worldwide boost it gives their brands.

 

With the London Olympics set to be the most high-profile in history, then the pressure could be greater than ever.