Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins won’t play for Canada at Olympics for medical reasons: sources

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was not in Toronto for the start of Canada’s men’s basketball team’s training camp on Friday that will help determine the country’s Olympic squad for this summer’s tournament. Wiggins was named to the 20-man training camp roster earlier this month but will not participate in camp or be eligible to join the team now.

On Friday evening, during the team’s first news conference of training camp, Canadiens general manager Rowan Barrett said he received a call from the Warriors a few days before camp began that Wiggins would not be available to play. When asked if Golden State gave him a reason, Barrett said: “That’s something you have to talk to them about.”

A Warriors spokesperson responded to a request for comment from The athlete The decision was made mutually by Wiggins and the team and Golden State could not prevent him from playing for Canada. Team sources said it was a medical decision.

““Well, for us, Andrew was fine,” Barrett said. “We were talking to him constantly. He’d been practicing for weeks and weeks preparing for this. Then I got a call from Golden State a day or two before camp saying they were going to hold him out. So, from what I’m seeing, this is not Andrew’s decision. This is a team decision.”

Wiggins played 71 games for the Warriors in the 2023-24 season, but suffered a late-season ankle injury that lasted into the offseason, a potential medical issue that could have been raised by the team. He had a rough start to the year, and finished the season stronger, ultimately averaging 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

However, his performance in the 2021-2022 championship season was better than ever.

Golden State was active in the trade market in the lead-up to free agency. Wiggins is scheduled to make $26.3 million next season and is scheduled to be on the roster for $84.65 million over the next three seasons. His contract may be necessary to complete a deal to move the nucleus, but this Olympics decision is separate from any trade talks, according to sources.

The sources said that this decision is purely medical, and was taken by mutual agreement, to ensure Wiggins’ health before entering the next season.

Wiggins’ inclusion on Canada’s training camp roster was somewhat controversial. In the summer of 2022, Canada asked players to make a three-year commitment to attend summer camps so they could play in the Olympics, should Canada qualify. Basketball Canada eased that position over time, but Wiggins couldn’t commit at the time because the Warriors were in the middle of their championship run and were one year away from unrestricted free agency.

He eventually signed a four-year contract extension with Golden State in October 2022.

Wiggins last played for Canada in 2021, when they lost in the semifinals of the recent qualifying tournament in Victoria, British Columbia, for the Tokyo Olympics. He also played for the men’s team at the 2015 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup in Mexico City, where Canada lost to Venezuela in the semifinals.

A win in that match would have qualified the team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Wiggins could have earned a roster spot had he been in training camp, as Canada needs some bigger wings, mainly on defense. This will be the first time Canada has participated in a men’s basketball tournament at the Olympic Games since 2000.

Wiggins’ mother, Marita Payne Wiggins, won silver medals for Canada in the 4 x 100 meter relay and the 4 x 400 meter relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I’m sad for him, I had a good conversation with him, and he’s definitely trying to push the players forward, hoping for the best for them,” Barrett said.

Canada won the bronze medal at last summer’s FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray are expected to lead the team, with veterans like Toronto Raptors teammates Kelly Olynyk and RJ Barrett also likely to head to France.

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(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)