In light of ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) announced that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics would be pushed back to a date in 2021. For Team USA, there could be several repercussions from this decision.
To safeguard the health of the athletes and everyone involved in the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will now take place no later than summer 2021.
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) March 24, 2020
“In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.”
For starters, several of Team USA's players will be another year older. For most, this won't have much of an impact. Guys like LeBron James, on the other hand, who's currently playing in his 17th NBA season, will have to keep themselves prepared for the tournament.
Players returning from injuries could play a role as well. As Team USA's roster is currently constructed, it wasn't clear if Nets star Kevin Durant would be well enough to play in the Olympics, as he is still recovering from an Achilles ailment. With the games being pushed back a year, the two-time champion would theoretically be healthy enough to play — barring any unforeseen setbacks.
In recent weeks, there were reports circulating that indicated Durant may be gearing up to play in the 2020 Olympics. Now, with the IOS' decision to suspend the games, it seems he'll have to wait to suit up for the stars and stripes.
Durant is among four Nets players that have tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement to Shams Charania of The Athletic last week, Durant noted that he was feeling fine and under quarantine:
“Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine,” Durant said, via The Athletic. “We're going to get through this.”
Durant joins Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Christian Wood as known positive cases for the coronavirus. Last week, Gobert became the first confirmed case in the NBA. His teammate, Donovan Mitchell, tested positive shortly after.
And how about Durant's Brooklyn teammate, Kyrie Irving? Uncle Drew has been in and out of the Nets' lineup this season due to a shoulder injury and subsequent arthroscopic surgery, but he too would have ample time to recover for the now-2021 Olympics.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is another player who has dealt with the injury bug this season. However, the former Davidson standout made his return to the lineup shortly before the NBA's decision to suspend the 2019-20 campaign. Unfortunately, though, he missed a considerable amount of time this season due to an illness and a broken left hand. Would he be good to go for 2021?
Some of the NBA's younger stars might have a chance to shine in the postponed Olympics as well. Players like rookie sensation Zion Williamson and Trae Young, who weren't on Team USA's preliminary roster for 2020, might have a better shot at making the 2021 squad.
One aspect to Team USA that won't change is those manning the helm, as it's been reported that both Gregg Popovish and Jerry Colangelo remain committed to leading the way in 2021.
These are unprecedented times in the sporting world, with events around the globe cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19. In the end, though, the IOS made the right decision in suspending the 2021 Olympics.
Follow Us
Subscribe