As one of the young stars in the NBA, it was widely expected that Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell would get a chance to play for Team USA at the Olympics this summer.
On Monday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mitchell had indeed been extended an invitation to play, but has declined it and will instead rehab from the ankle injury he suffered during the playoffs.
After getting an invitation to join Team USA for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has declined the opportunity, sources tell ESPN. Instead, Mitchell will use the time to recover and rehab from his right ankle injury.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2021
Mitchell most recently played for Team USA at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
On Monday, Wojnarowski also reported that Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has committed to Team USA for the summer, while The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Brooklyn Nets stars Kevin Durant and James Harden have committed as well. Like Mitchell, Harden was also injured during the playoffs, and like the Jazz, the Nets were eliminated in the second round.
Rudy Gobert (France), Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia) and Joe Ingles (Australia) are Jazzmen who are planning on playing for their respective countries this summer, each said during team exit interviews on Saturday.