Zach Edey , the 7-foot-4 center out of Purdue drafted No. 9 by the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, will not represent Canada at the Paris Olympics. On Sunday, Edey and Canada Basketball announced that he’d pulled out of training camp with the national team.
Camp began on Friday in Toronto, the same day that Edey had his introductory press conference in Memphis. Edey was included on Canada Basketball’s list of attendees on June 19, but, when asked about his status with the national team at that press conference , he said, “We’re going to have a dinner tonight and talk about it, so I’m not sure yet.”
The official statement from Edey:
“I have made the difficult decision of pulling myself out of the process to compete for a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Canada. Since last summer, I have been training and competing nonstop to achieve my goals of winning a national championship at Purdue and making it to the NBA. I have a duty now to properly prepare for all that is coming my way with being drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies. The work I put in this summer on my body and my game is critical for me to be the best version of myself. Thank you to Canada Basketball and all the fans for your support and understanding. Representing Canada in the Olympics remains a lifelong dream of mine, but for now, I look forward to being the team’s biggest fan from this side of the Atlantic.”