In bad news for the USA Basketball team (but sort of good news for next season's Miami Heat), Dwyane Wade has announced that he'll be undergoing knee surgery this summer and will not be traveling with the team to the London Olympics.
"I've decided to listen to my doctors and get the procedure I need on my knee," Wade told the Associated Press today. "USA Basketball said I had to [do] what was best for me. They want me to be obviously as healthy as possible so I can continue to play this game at a high level. They were very supportive and told me if I ever want to come around the team, I'm welcome and that I'm part of the family."
It wasn't exactly a secret that Wade was playing through the playoffs with a unhealthy knee. He still managed to play in every game and average 22.6 points through out the finals.
The surgery will not be major, and Wade describes it as basically a "clean up" procedure. He's expected to only be on crutches for about a day afterwards, and will be ready in time for the start of the Heat's training camp. Delaying the surgery until after the Olympics would have jeopardized his chances of playing a full season with the Heat.
The announcement is surely a big loss for Team USA. Wade was the team's top scorer in the 2008 Olympics in which the team brought home gold.
Team USA will begin training next week before their first Olympic game on July 29. Miami Heat fans will still have boys to cheer on during the games. LeBron James is set for London, and despite his abdominal injury during the playoffs, Chris Bosh is expected to play as well.
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