Blake Griffin Won't Play in Olympics After Bone Marrow Procedure
The Los Angeles Clippers announced that forward Blake Griffin will not participate in the Summer Olympics for Team USA after a bone marrow procedure in his left quad, as relayed by ESPN's Marc J. Spears. Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times later confirmed the reports.
Griffin suffered the injury to his quad in Game 4 of the Clippers' first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers, which they would go on to lose, 4-2.
The Clippers noted in a statement (via Spears) that Griffin underwent the bone marrow procedure April 27.
The quad was an issue for Griffin for a majority of the season. He partially tore it toward the end of December and missed the next 45 games, though that wasn't his only injury. In January, he suffered a fractured hand in a fight with an equipment staff member.
While he won't be able to take part in Team USA's training camps, its exhibition tour and the Olympics, he should be ready for the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, per Spears.
Team USA has 31 players on its roster, and it will work its way down to a final 12-man roster for the Olympics in the summer. The basketball tournament will begin in Rio de Janeiro on August 1.
In his shortened season, Griffin averaged 21.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and when healthy, he's one of the most athletic, dynamic forwards in the league, as the NBA showed:
This isn't a huge loss for the United States, as the team is stacked with talent at the forward position, including stars such as LaMarcus Aldridge, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green.
But this does come after Carmelo Anthony voiced his concerns about participating with Team USA in an interview with Russ Bengtson of Complex, so head coach Mike Krzyzewski may have fewer options than he was hoping for when training camp opens.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
