Former Kentucky star Jamal Murray has decided to withdraw from the Canadian national team ahead of the FIBA World Cup.
Murray cited a need for more recovery time following Denver’s run to an NBA championship in June.
Here is an excerpt from ESPN:
“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,” Murray said in a 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.”
The decision didn’t come as a surprise as Murray didn’t travel with the Canadians for a series of warmup games in Europe beginning last week. He did take part in the team’s training camp in Toronto two weeks ago.
Canada, which hasn’t qualified for the Olympics since 2000, still has a strong team led by former UK star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
