USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo and men’s national team coach Mike Krzyzewski knew it was a possibility that Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade wouldn’t be available to play at this summer’s London Olympics July 27-Aug. 12.
The possibility became a reality when Wade made separate phone calls to Colangelo and Krzyzewski and informed them he needs surgery on his left knee and will miss the Olympics.
“The doctor’s prognosis was that he needed surgery immediately,” Colangelo told USA TODAY Sports Thursday afternoon.
Colangelo said Wade, who struggled through the playoffs with pain in his knee, likely will have surgery July 9, three days after Team USA begins its training camp in Las Vegas.
“We knew he was only 50-50 anyway,” Colangelo said. “He’s been hurting for quite a while. This is not a shock. We had a conference call just a few days ago with our staff and we talked about different options.”
Wade, who led the U.S. team in scoring when it won gold in Beijing, is expected to be ready for the start of the 2012-13 NBA season.
Colangelo said all indications are that Heat forward Chris Bosh, who sustained a lower abdominal strain in the second round of the playoffs and missed nine games, will be report to camp in Las Vegas.
“We’ve been advised he’ll be there,” Colangelo said.
The roster pool stands at 17, 12 of whom will make the Olympic team.
The pool started at 20 players in January but dropped to 16 after injuries to Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.
Colangelo and his staff added Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden and incoming NBA rookie Anthony Davis in May. USA Basketball is expected to name the 12-man roster on July 7.
“It certainly opens up an opportunity for someone else,” Colangelo said. “It depends on where we end up. Do we want a specialist? Do you want another shooter? Do you want another big? These are the things we are looking forward to deciding when we get to Las Vegas.”
—Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
