Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard, who won Olympic gold with the U.S. in the 2008 Beijing Games but had to miss last summer’s London Games while recovering from back surgery, said he wants to be back on the team in 2016.
“No doubt,” Howard said Thursday when asked if he wanted to play in Brazil.
There’s really nothing like representing your country in the Olympics. Howard missed playing in the Olympics last summer obviously because of back surgery. He did play in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and had he played in London, he would’ve gotten back-to-back Olympic gold medals like his current teammate, Kobe Bryant. Another Laker, Pau Gasol, played for Spain in the Olympics and received the Silver medal.
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Howard received an invitation from Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball managing director, last summer. It’s likely that Howard will receive it again if he stays healthy in the next few years. Team USA in London didn’t have a true center in the team other than Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks. Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Hornets would be asked to play in the pivot, though Davis didn’t play very much.
Colangelo will also be asked to find a new coach as Mike Krzyzewski has insisted that he will not come back as USA Basketball’s coach after Duke’s season is over. Laker head coach Mike D’Antoni was an assistant coach for Team USA.
It’s still three years away but let’s expect Dwight Howard to be on the team if he stays healthy.