Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers has reportedly turned down an offer to join the United States 2016 Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein.
Love will sit out this offseason following the longest on-court run of his career. Love, who had previously seen little postseason action following many tough years with the Minnesota Timberwolves and a devastating season-ending injury in last season’s playoffs, plans to fully utilize his time to rest following a stretch that ran to game seven of the NBA Finals, which Cleveland won.
Love was part of the undefeated 2012 gold medal winning United States basketball team, which marked his first team up with current teammate LeBron James, who will also not be participating in this year’s Olympics. In 2012, Love averaged 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in eight games, showing significant promise in international play, making his presence felt on one of the greatest Olympic basketball teams that the tournament has seen.
Love sits, Irving Joins
Of the three Cavaliers that were invited to represent the United States in Rio this summer, Kyrie Irving was the only one to accept. Irving’s acceptance was announced earlier this week, following James’s decision to sit out of the Olympics. Irving has seen significant success in international play, as he was named the MVP of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, leading an undefeated U.S. team to an impressive international win.
Love was invited to play with the 2014 World Cup team, but reportedly turned down the offer amidst trade speculation and uncertainty as to where he may end up by the end of the summer. Love was later traded to Cleveland from Minnesota in that offseason.
Love joins his teammate James, and many other All Stars on a long list of players who plan to sit out of the 2016 Olympics including Chris Paul, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry.
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games begin August 5.