Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry has opted out of the Tokyo Olympics, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any players of interest for Golden State fans at the storied games.
NBA All-Defensive First-Team member Draymond Green will represent the Warriors on Team USA, anchoring the defense for the stars and stripes. But some of Golden State’s international flair will be evident in Tokyo, with multiple players representing teams from around the world.
Here’s a rundown, courtesy of Warriors Reddit.
I like the flags on that tweet. Classy.
It’s no surprise that Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will play for Team Canada, but his teammate, G Mychal Mulder, will also have a chance to make the team for the United States’ neighbor to the north.
And G Nico Mannion, who just wrapped up his rookie season, will gain experience with Team Italy. That will help him mature quickly, which Mannion may need to do in order to make the team next season.
Plus, Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown will lead Team Nigeria, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will serve as an assistant on Team USA. How’s that for a role reversal?
So while it’s a definite bummer that Curry won’t play basketball for another five months or so, the upside to that is obvious — he’ll have plenty of time to recover for what figures to be a monumental season, with the return of his Splash Brother, Klay Thomspson, and with him, championship expectations.
But don’t think about that now — if that’s a focus already, next season will take forever to arrive. Just enjoy the Warriors that will be in Tokyo entertaining at the Olympics, especially Green, the three-time NBA champion for Golden State.
Bay Area Sports Hub 