Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will not be on the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball roster, his coach, Steve Kerr, confirmed Monday.
“I think it makes perfect sense, actually. Steph has so many demands on his time. He has to play so hard for so much of the season,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday. “He’s 180 pounds. He’s [33]. He needs rest. … I’m happy for Steph that he’s going to get plenty of rest and family time this summer, and he’ll be ready to go come training camp in September.”
Curry declined an invitation, according to the Associated Press, citing a source with knowledge of the situation earlier on Monday.
Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, is the most accomplished player in the world yet to suit up at an Olympics. He was on the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cup teams but was not among 20 finalists for the 2012 Olympic team.
Curry withdrew from 2016 Olympic consideration two months before the Rio Games, citing several reasons, including knee and ankle injuries.
In 2019, Curry broke his left hand in the season’s fourth game on Oct. 30, a month after saying he planned on the Tokyo Games. He returned in March and played one game before being sidelined by the flu and the Warriors season ending due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Through this past season, Curry said he was undecided on Tokyo. The Warriors missed the playoffs, giving their players more time to rest before potentially playing in the Olympics.
Elsewhere, it has been reported the following players have made themselves available for Olympic roster selection:
Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets forward)
James Harden (Brooklyn Nets guard)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers guard)
Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers forward)
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat center)
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards guard)
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns guard)
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors forward)
Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks guard)
Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks foward)
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics forward)
On June 3, LeBron James promoted his upcoming movie when asked if he will play at the Tokyo Olympics after his Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs.
“I think I’m going to play for the Tune Squad this summer instead of the Olympics,” James, referencing “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” said with a straight face before later smiling in his answer. “I think that’s what my focus [is] on, trying to beat the Monstars, or the Goon Squad we call them now. So, didn’t have much success versus the Suns, so now I am gearing my attention to the Goon Squad here in July, mid-July.”
Teammate Anthony Davis is also reportedly not expected to be on the team. Davis has not spoken publicly about his Olympic intentions.
USA Basketball has not confirmed any of the players that will be on the roster.
Olympic team selection is complicated this year by the late end to the NBA season. The conference finals are currently happening. The Opening Ceremony is July 23.
USA Basketball will hold a male player training camp and exhibition games from July 6-18 — during the playoffs — but hasn’t said whether camp participation will be mandatory for Olympic participation. USA Basketball hasn’t announced when it plans to name its Olympic men’s roster.
The IOC said last week that USA Basketball has been granted an exception, after a petition, to enter the names of its Olympic male and female basketball players up to one week after the sport entries deadline of July 5.
Athletes can be replaced from a list of 24 players per gender up until the day before the start of the men’s and women’s Olympic tournaments, according to FIBA, which said that its overall regulations have not been changed for these Games: for all nations, a list of 24 players (from which the final 12 must come) must be submitted by July 18 for the men and July 19 for the women.
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