Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will join champion teammate Dwyane Wade as a spectator at the London Olympics.
Bosh, who missed part of the playoffs with an abdominal strain, remains in pain and his agent, Henry Thomas, told USA Today that his client has to miss the Games in order to heal.
“This injury was a pretty serious one,” Thomas said. “He was able to come back and play under the circumstances because he was trying to contribute to them winning a championship. There’s still pain. There’s still discomfort. And the real concern is if he doesn’t rest and do the rehab associated with the injury, this could become sort of a chronic thing for him.”
Bosh made the decision after consulting with Heat team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick and others. Bosh, who played for the “Redeem Team” that won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, called USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and team chairman Jerry Colangelo on Friday to deliver the word.
“He wanted to be part of it,” Thomas said. “It was a great experience in ’08. Feels like it could be another one. The exposure he would get being part of that team is something he would like. But at the end of the day, his health going forward is more important than all of those things.”
With Wade and now Bosh out, there are 16 players left for 12 spots on the U.S. Olympic team — with LeBron James the lone Heat player left on the national team roster. The team convenes in Las Vegas next week to start training camp, then has five exhibitions with international teams before opening Olympic play against France on July 29.
USA Basketball plans to announce the Olympic roster around July 7.
