Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris might have passed on the opportunity to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, but he remains open to representing the country in the 2020 Olympics.
Harris, who inked a five-year, $180 million contract with the Sixers, noted that his decision to skip the FIBA World Cup is because of his health, noting that he wasn't ‘truly healthy' when the 2018-19 campaign ended. Furthermore, he said he needed this offseason to take a breather and work on his game.
However, if the opportunity comes up in the near future — particularly in next year's Olympics in Japan — he'll gladly don the USA jersey without hesitation as long as he's healthy.
“I want to be out there like any basketball player,” he said, per Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “If the opportunity comes around next summer and I am healthy, it is something I would love to be part of.”
Harris, who'll be entering his 10th year in the NBA, has slowly but surely developed into one of the top players in the league. His length, agility and ability to knock down shots from deep are his greatest assets. As the Sixers star moves up the ranks from being a role player to a star, Team USA can certainly make use of a player of his caliber.
The Olympic Games will be held on July 24 to August 9, 2020 in Tokyo.