Grizzlies’ Edey won’t be available for Canada at Olympics

Two-time Naismith Player of the Year Zach Edey has pulled himself from Canada’s Olympic training camp and won’t represent his country at the upcoming 2024 Games in Paris, according to a statement released by Canada basketball Sunday, per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.

The 7-foot-4 center has decided to forgo this summer’s Olympics to focus on getting ready for his upcoming NBA season after he was picked ninth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in last week’s draft.

“Since last summer, I have been training and competing nonstop to achieve my goals of winning a national championship at Purdue and making it to the NBA. I have a duty now to properly prepare for all that is coming my way with being drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies,” Edey said in the statement.

“Representing Canada in the Olympics remains a lifelong dream of mine, but for now, I look forward to being the team’s biggest fan from this side of the Atlantic.”

“On behalf of Canada Basketball, I would like to congratulate him on being drafted into the NBA. We look forward to welcoming him to a future training camp and wish him the best of luck preparing for next season,” Team Canada general manager Rowan Barrett said in a statement, per Lewenberg.

Edey is the second Canadian to pull himself from the roster on the eve of training camp. Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins removed his name from contention on Friday as Golden State is reportedly trying to trade the former first overall pick.

Canada is hosting its training camp in Toronto, Ontario from June 28 to July 7. It will now consist of 18 invitees, including 11 players who had NBA contracts last season.

Canada will play the United States in an exhibition game in Las Vegas on July 10. They will then take on France on July 19 before playing the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which is being held in Puerto Rico on July 21.

The Canadian men’s national team will play in its first Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Games. They’ve been placed in Group A with Australia and two countries yet to be determined.