WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 18: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 18, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Bradley Beal will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics after he was placed in the COVID-19 protocol.
“Bradley Beal, who was placed under USA Basketball’s health & safety protocols on Wednesday, will remain in protocol & will be unable to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Games,” USA Basketball announced. “Out of an abundance of caution, Jerami Grant has been placed under health & safety protocols.”
USA Basketball later revealed that their Friday exhibition game against Australia was canceled. “Out of an abundance of caution, the USA Men’s National Team exhibition versus Australia on Friday has been canceled,” USA Basketball tweeted.
“Our goal overall is we’re trying to get everybody safely to Tokyo,” the U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Popovich said, “and at the same time prepare a basketball team to be successful. We’re trying to be vigilant about what we do, where we go.”
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Earlier this week, Beal was excited to play for the Olympic team as it was a lifelong dream he’s had since he was a kid. Popovich and Draymond Green expressed their sympathies for Beal.
“I’m dying for [Beal]. We all are,” Popovich said. “Since he was a little kid, this has been a dream of his, and he was playing great. … For him and his immediate family, it’s devastating. We just feel horrible about it.”
“It’s costing people opportunities of a lifetime. It sucks,” forward Draymond Green said. “We all came in hoping we wouldn’t be affected by it. It’s just not the way it’s gone.”
USA Basketball officials met on Thursday to discuss a possible replacement for Beal.
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