Stephen Curry has been making large waves in the NBA in the past couple of years, winning back-to-back MVP awards in the last two seasons. However, the prolific point guard has injured his knee and now has taken himself out of contention to play in the Summer Olympics in Rio this year.
"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," said Curry. It is worth noting that he picked up a Grade 1 MCL sprain in their series against the Houston Rockets. Curry also picked up a knock in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
USA Today reports that prior to making his statement, Curry had already informed Jerry Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball, about his decision to withdraw. The Golden State talisman has won gold in both the 2010 and 2014 editions of the FIBA World Cup. However, Curry has not yet participated in Olympic competition.
The main reason Curry is withdrawing is because of an injury to his right knee, reports from CBS News state. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are only two wins away from consecutive NBA Championships. It would be interesting to see how his recent string of injuries affects his minutes on the court as well as the Warrior's game plan.
"My previous experiences with USA Basketball have been incredibly rewarding, educational and enjoyable," says Curry. "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," he adds.
Veteran Chris Paul has also withdrawn his name from consideration alongside Curry. This means that USA Basketball may have to look at younger players to fill that all-important guard role.
