Basketball

Chris Paul set to miss Rio Olympics for

Chris Paul has played a key role in helping the United States win basketball gold at the last two Olympic Games, but he won’t be back for another attempt in Rio.

The Los Angeles Clippers guard is withdrawing from consideration for this year’s Olympic team and will prioritise rest and recovery this summer.

“I feel my body telling me that I could use the time,” Paul told SI.com.

“Just a few days ago, [my son] little Chris asked me: ‘Daddy, will you play in the Olympics again?’. Part of me wanted to say yes, because he’s never been part of it. But I told him: ‘I want to spend more time with you’.”

“Just a few days ago, [my son] little Chris asked me: ‘Daddy, will you play in the Olympics again?’. Part of me wanted to say yes, because he’s never been part of it. But I told him: ‘I want to spend more time with you’.”

paul chris

Paul, who turns 31 in May, is averaging a career-low 33.1 minutes per game this season, but has had to carry the load for the Clippers with Blake Griffin sidelined for much of the season and is on a pace for his highest scoring output since the 2008-09 campaign.

He has been a steady hand for the US on the world’s biggest stage, averaging 8.1 points and 4.6 assists per game in 16 games between Beijing and London, but national team coach Mike Krzyzewski will have to distribute the backcourt minutes differently this time around.

Stephen Curry is set to be the team’s centrepiece after not being selected for the 2012 Games.

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