As one of the 30 finalists for the 2016 Olympic basketball team, Paul George has been given one of the game’s highest honors, a spot which any player would dream to be in. Even better, he’s got a great shot to make it to the final 12-man roster that will go to Rio (he made our roster, at least). And yet, George isn’t committing to playing in the summer — and it’s perfectly reasonable. Here’s what he said on the matter:
“I’m still happy to have a chance. It’s definitely a dream to be a part of that group but we’ll see,” George said. “It’s been a long year for me already so we’ll see when it gets down to being there. I’ll listen to my body and listen to the trainers to see what’s the best move.”
The last time George wore the red, white and blue, he memorably broke his leg at a tune-up scrimmage for the FIBA World Cup. It’s completely understandable if he’s wary about suiting up for non-NBA stuff for a while. And even leaving aside possible traumatic memories, he will be coming off 82-plus games after a long injury recovery. Using the summer to rest would be a smart way to consolidate the gains he made in the 2015-16 season, and playing for Team USA might be a bridge too far for his leg.
And though PG-13 is one of the very best in the game, he does play Team USA’s deepest position. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard are all shoo-ins for the roster, and they all primarily slot in at the three (though they’re all versatile enough to share the court). If he chooses his future over national glory, Team USA will be just fine.
(Via Indianapolis Star)
