Miami Heat and USA guard Dwayne Wade has confirmed that this summer’s Olympic Games will be his last.
Speaking to FOX Sports Florida, Wade, 29, said it is time for the younger generation to be part of the USA tradition.
“There are so many great young players in this league, and you want to give everybody an opportunity to be able to play on that stage,” Wade said.
“I got a chance to win a gold mdeal so I thought, this is a great way to end it.”
Wade, who hasn’t been confirmed on the USA roster yet for London 2012 has had long disscussions with fellow members LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul.
Despite the roster not being confirmed, Wade, along with James, Anthony and Paul are expected to be on the USA team for the Games.
“All the guys kind of were like, ‘You’re playing,'” Wade said. “Melo, CP, Bron, they wouldn’t let me think about not playing. So everybody kind of convinced me, ‘We’re going to do it again.’ And I told them if they’re back in, I’m in.”
With the majority of the 2010 world championship winning team also available for duty, coach Mike Krzyzewski will face the usual selection nightmare when the time comes to pick his squad.
So far, the squad definites, as predicted by the American press are: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade.
Most Olympic basketball media are already predicting a USA-Spain final at the moment. And with Spain being a much bigger team than they were in 2008 with the addition of Serge Ibaka to the line-up, Krzyzewski will probably have to make his squad a little bigger too for the Games.
