Jamal Murray will not play in 2023 FIBA World Cup
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will not be playing for Team Canada in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Canadian National team announced Wednesday.
It was previously reported last week by multiple outlets that Murray would not be participating in any of Canada’s exhibition games in Germany ahead of the FIBA World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on Aug. 25.
“When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup,” Murray said via release. “In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament. It’s still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics, and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal.”
Murray is not the first Canadian player to withdraw from the tournament; last week, forward Oshae Brissett withdrew due to precautionary reasons in lieu of a knee injury.
The Nuggets star helped lead the franchise to their first-ever NBA Title, going 16-4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, respectively. Murray, 26, appeared in 85 combined games in 2022-23 and is roughly 27 months removed from tearing his ACL, so it’s understandable why he is prioritizing his short- and long-term health.
“After numerous discussions over the last several weeks with Jamal and team medical staff, it became clear that additional recovery and rehab would prevent Jamal from joining our team for the upcoming FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup,” Rowan Barrett, general manager/executive VP of the Canadian senior men’s program, and the father of New York Knicks and Canadian guard RJ Barrett, said via release.
Murray averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists and a steal on 45.4 percent shooting, including 39.8 percent from 3-point range and 83.3 percent from the charity stripe last season. In 20 playoff games, Murray posted 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.5 steals on 47.3/39.6/92.6 (58.6 TS%) shooting splits.
Team Canada tips off the FIBA World Cup on Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m. EST against France, followed by contests against Lebanon and Latvia on Aug. 27 and 29, respectively, in their group stage in Jakarta, Indonesia. Team Canada is ranked No. 15 in FIBA’s world rankings and still features a collection of solid NBA players–spearheaded by budding star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Barrett.
“With just over a week until we tip-off at the World Cup, based on a shared commitment to continue building and improving every day,” Rowan Barrett said. “We will be working through our remaining practice and exhibition game schedule to prepare us for the tournament-opening game against France.”
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