Russell Westbrook just enjoyed the best season of his career, and nearly eliminated his arch-enemy Stephen Curry in a closely-contested Western Conference Finals that went the distance. Those that were upset about losing Westbrook to playoff elimination had the Olympics to look forward to, but now that’s out of the picture.
The NBA released a statement not too long ago explaining that Westbrook has officially pulled out of this summer’s festivities in Rio. Though Westbrook didn’t provide an official reason for his withdrawal, the elephant in the room is of course the Zika virus, which may or may not be a very prevalent problem for athletes traveling to Rio this summer.
In recent weeks, Kevin Durant has announced that he will still play in the games despite the health concerns, but other major stars like Paul George, John Wall, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis and more have already pulled out. One of the team’s major pieces, Carmelo Anthony, remains undecided, at least in the public eye.
In the statement, Westbrook says:
After speaking with my family, I have decided to not participate in this year’s Olympics. This was not an easy decision, as representing my country at the World Championships in 2010 and the Olympics in 2012 were career highlights for me. I look forward to future opportunities as a member of USA Basketball.
AKA, y’all can go down there and get sick if you want, I want MVP next year.
Just kidding.
