Warriors' Stephen Curry Says Passing on 2021 Tokyo Olympics Was a 'Hard Decision'

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said he has no regrets on declining an opportunity to play with Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics, but the decision was far from easy. 

Speaking to reporters Thursday, the guard said he's taking the time to enjoy his summer after the shortest offseason in NBA history last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While he's already back on the court working out, Curry said joining Team USA in Tokyo just "wasn't right for me."

Curry previously played for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup in 2010 and 2014, winning gold in both tournaments. 

This is the second consecutive Olympic games Curry has opted out of. He withdrew from the 2016 team that won gold at the Rio Games due to ailing knees and ankles. 

Considering Curry has played only 137 games over the last three seasons, it make sense he would want a full offseason to recover, especially after the Warriors failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Over 63 contests in 2020-21, Curry averaged a career-high 32.0 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

The guard didn't explain much about his offseason routine on Thursday, but there's plenty of time for him to ramp up activities before training camp opens in late September. 

In the meantime, Team USA shouldn't miss Curry too much. 

The national team led by head coach Gregg Popovich features Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Jerami Grant, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday and Zach LaVine, among others. They are currently the odds-on favorites to win the gold medal, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, which lists Team USA at -1000 (bet $1000 to win $100). Spain and Australia have the next-best odds at +1200 and +1600, respectively. 

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