Kawhi Leonard will formally not be taking part in within the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris.
Officers introduced the replace on the 2024 USA Basketball Males’s Nationwide Group earlier as we speak posting the choice on social media. Regarding the Los Angeles Clippers star and Group USA ahead, the submit defined:
“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the previous a number of weeks and had just a few robust practices in Las Vegas,” a USA Basketball assertion learn. “He felt able to compete. Nonetheless, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers decided it’s in his greatest curiosity to spend the rest of the summer season getting ready for the upcoming season moderately than taking part within the Olympic Video games in Paris.”
Shortly after, the USA Basketball accounts welcomed 30-year-old Derrick White with one submit writing, “Derrick White joins the 🇺🇸 #USABMNT for the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games.”
For a while, the 33-year-old athlete has been scuffling with knee irritation throughout his common season and was seen hobbling together with his injured knee throughout L.A.’s first-round playoff loss to the eventual Western Convention-champion Dallas Mavericks.
Leonard stated Tuesday that he was planning to play in Group USA’s first exhibition sport Wednesday evening in opposition to Group Canada however referred to his knee being in a “impartial” state. He additionally talked about he’d been rehabbing the knee over the previous two months and wasn’t positive whether or not he’d have the ability to play till two weeks in the past, when he confirmed enchancment.
The participant, who’s about to begin a three-year, $150 million cope with the Clippers, hasn’t been capable of end the previous two postseasons due to proper knee accidents. General, the two-time NBA champion and six-time All-NBA participant has missed 256 regular-season video games over the previous seven years, together with the entire 2021-22 season with knee bother.
Regarding the alternative, White was seemingly chosen over Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who made second-team All-NBA this previous season as one of many league’s high gamers.
White averaged 15.2 PPG and 39.6 p.c from 3-point vary and the identical 6.8 makes an attempt per sport.
