Minnesota Timberwolves guard-forward Andrew Wiggins has officially declined to play for Team Canada in a Olympic Qualifying Tournament next July.
In a statement released Friday through his agent, Wiggins cites the need to stay with the Timberwolves and prepare for the upcoming season. The 21-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick is entering his third season in the NBA, and will be playing for a new head coach in Tom Thibodeau next season.
Andrew Wiggins’ statement today released through his agent Bully Duffy Associates pic.twitter.com/IxkuFqGdOj
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 10, 2016
Wiggins helped Canada win the bronze medal at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship; he led the team in scoring with 15.1 ppg and was named on the tournament’s All-Star Five team.
The Canadian Men’s National Team has yet to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. After a five-game exhibition tournament in June, Team Canada will head to Manila, Philippines in July to compete for a berth in the Olympics, and it will have to do so without one of its biggest stars in Wiggins.