Team USA Basketball may have to dig a little deeper in their treasure chest of talent for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Two players from the defending champions Golden State Warriors have withdrawn from their names from the list of candidates that will form the team.
The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry has issued an official statement that he will skip the quadrennial event to let his right knee heal. He injured it in the playoffs when he slipped. The official statement from Curry released by the Warriors (h/t Mercury News).
"After a great deal of internal thought and several discussions with my family, the Warriors and my representatives, I've elected to withdraw my name from the list of eligible players on Team USA's preliminary roster for the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil. I recently informed Jerry Colangelo of this decision.
My previous experiences with USA Basketball have been incredibly rewarding, educational and enjoyable, which made this an extremely difficult decision for me and my family. However, due to several factors - including recent ankle and knee injuries - I believe this is the best decision for me at this stage of my career. It's an incredible honor to represent your country and wear 'USA' on your chest, but my primary basketball-related objective this summer needs to focus on my body and getting ready for the 2016-17 NBA season."
Curry has not yet fully recovered from his injury but he has to continue playing to defend the Warriors' title. He seems very clear about his priorities. Curry is due to sign a contract before the end of the 2016-17 season and it's expected that he will receive the maximum contract barring any injuries. As of now, he is one of the league's biggest bargains being the most valuable player yet being paid only $11 million.
This is a good development for Warriors' fans around the world knowing that their best player will be healthy for next season. But Marcus Thompson of Mercury News noted that winning an Olympic gold is part of Curry and Splash Brother Klay Thompson's bucket list.
Another blow for Team USA is that Curry's teammate Andre Iguodala is also mulling to opt out of the selection pool. While Iggy is not injured, he has raised concern over the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil according to Thompson.
Apparently, players have been advised not to bring their families to the event and also to sleep in mosquito nets to avoid getting affected. Some athletes have become wary and may decide to skip it altogether.
Another Warriors' invitee, Draymond Green, was unfazed by the alarm of the virus as Thompson quoted a source who stated that "if he is invited to play, he will play."
The Zika virus is a real concern among athletes throughout the world. According to an AP report, Pau Gasol of Spain is also having second thoughts about representing his country (which he has done so countless times in his career) because of the health risk.