Stephen Curry Will Not Play in 2016 Olympic Games In Rio de Janeiro

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is in line to win his second straight MVP award. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Steph is a no-go for the 2016 Olympic games, held later this year in Rio de Janeiro.

“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,” said Curry in a statement posted on the Warriors’ team Twitter account.

Though it is enticing to think of the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player draining three-pointers for team USA in international competition, the decision is understandable.

Curry has yet to completely recuperate from an MCL sprain he suffered in the first round of the playoffs versus the Rockets. The injury caused him to miss several games in that series as well as in the next round versus the Portland Trail Blazers. 

The Warriors guard has played a total of 193 games over the past two years, with the Warriors winning the championship last year and currently holding a 2-0 Finals lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers this year. Added to the mix is the extra strain on Curry at the end of the regular season due to the team chasing the regular season win record previously held by the Chicago Bulls.

Though Curry’s services won’t be available this summer, Warrior teammates Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green remain eligible for the Olympics roster. Thompson was a teammate of Curry’s on the 2014 FIBA gold-medal winning team. 

Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group reports that Draymond Green will definitely play if invited, though Thompson and Andre Iguodala may opt out due to concerns over the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil. The final 12-man roster for Olympic men’s basketball headed by Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski is expected to be named in late June.

Per ESPN, the list of players still in contention for Team USA’s roster include LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler, Mike Conley,DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Andre Drummond, Kevin Durant,Kenneth Faried, Rudy Gay, Paul George, Draymond Green, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Gordon Hayward, Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Kyrie Irving,LeBron James, DeAndre Jordan, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Kevin Love,Klay Thompson, John Wall and Russell Westbrook.