It’s a big blow to a team seen as a potential contender.
Add Jamal Murray to the list of basketball superstars who will sit out the FIBA World Cup.
The NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets apparently needs “additional recovery,” according to a statement released by Canada Basketball on Wednesday.
“When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup,” said Murray in the statement.
“In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament. It’s still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics, and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal,” Murray added.
Murray's absence is definitely a big blow to Canada, which is widely seen as one of the early favorites in the upcoming FIBA World Cup with a roster stacked with NBA talent.
Murray’s partner at Denver, Nikola Jokic, also begged off from the Serbian national team. Five days ago, Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo was also forced to miss FIBA’s biggest conclave, saying it was his only option.
Canada, though, remains a force to be reckoned with as it still has rising stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett in the fold, along with defensive specialist Dillon Brooks and NBA veteran Kelly Olynyk.
The 15th-ranked squad is bunched with France, Lebanon, and Latvia in Group H, whose group stage games will be held in Jakarta Indonesia.
(MDB)