US basketball star Beal out of Olympics for health reasons

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal will miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to "health and safety protocols," the US national basketball team said on Thursday.

"Bradley Beal, who was placed under USA Basketball's health & safety protocols on Wednesday, will remain in protocol & will be unable to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Games," USA Basketball said on Twitter.

Beal, 28, a guard for the Washington Wizards, averaged 31.3 points per game this season to come second in the NBA.

USA Basketball added that Jerami Grant – a Detroit Pistons forward – has been placed under health and safety protocols “out of an abundance of caution.”

Grant had a 22.3 point-average in the 2020-21 NBA season.

Meanwhile the US national team's exhibition game against Australia on Friday night in Las Vegas was canceled for the same reason.

However, Team USA is still scheduled to face Spain on Sunday before the Olympic Games.

The US – the defending Olympic champions – will face France, Iran, and the Czech Republic in Olympics Group A, with their first match, against France, set for July 25.

The multi-sport event in Japan will take place from July 23 to Aug. 8 after being postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.