Andrew Wiggins won’t play for Canada in Summer Olympics

Minnesota Timberwolves small forward Andrew Wiggins has decided that he will not play for the Canadian National Team during the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

According to the Minnesota Timberwolves beat writer of the Star Tribune Jerry Zgoda, Timberwolves star small forward Andrew Wiggins will not play for the Canadian National Team in the July qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro.

This is a tough blow for Canada’s chances to make it to Rio this summer, but it is strong foresight for Wiggins to put all of his effort in being ready for the Timberwolves’ 2016-17 NBA season.

Along with teammates center Karl-Anthony Towns, wing Zach LaVine, point guard Ricky Rubio, whomever Minnesota takes at No. 5 in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Timberwolves are poised to end their league-worst 12-year NBA Playoffs drought under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Minnesota has drafted marvelously and made a tough decision in parting ways with Kevin Love for Wiggins’ draft rights in summer 2014. While Towns has emerged as a top 25 talent as a rookie coming out of Kentucky this past season, many expect that Wiggins will take that next step in his development in year three in 2016-17.

If he does become All-Star caliber with Towns, then Thibodeau’s task of turning around this Western Conference doormat won’t seem so challenging in his first year on the job. Wiggins is already a 20 PPG scorer with great touch in the mid-range.

If Wiggins can expand his shooting range out towards the perimeter and hone in on Thibodeau’s defensive teachings, then Minnesota could very well be knocking on the door of playoff contention in the West in 2017. However, his decision to not play for his country’s team in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers severely jeopardizes Canada’s chances of making it all the way to Rio.

For more 2016 Rio Olympics coverage, please check out our 2016 Rio Olympics category page.

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