JUST IN: Milwaukee Bucks’ Robin Lopez Hilariously Reveals Decision to Abstain from Team USA
On Tuesday, Team USA unveiled its 41-man player pool for the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics, featuring an impressive roster of notable players. Among them were two Milwaukee Bucks players, Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis.
However, one Bucks veteran, the experienced big man Robin Lopez, was notably absent from the list. In response to this omission, the 35-year-old center took to Twitter on Thursday to provide an explanation for his exclusion from the player pool.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Robin Lopez Turns Down Team USA Opportunity
Taking to social media on Thursday, the 7-foot-1 big man Robin Lopez announced an important decision regarding his participation in Team USA’s preparations for the Olympics. In a humorous twist, Lopez revealed that the choice to not be part of the team was entirely his own, and he provided a lighthearted and amusing reason for reaching this decision.
It turns out that Robin Lopez has some compelling summer plans that take precedence over representing the nation on the grand stage of the Olympics. The 7-foot-1 big man humorously revealed that his decision to skip Team USA’s preparations is rooted in his busy schedule of re-watching a bunch of classic TV series. Evidently, catching up on these shows has taken the front seat in Lopez’s summer agenda.
USA Basketball announced its 41-player pool for the 2024 Olympic Men’s National Team and it's STACKED. 🫡 https://t.co/r4lzuNfXX5 pic.twitter.com/4YGCoM9dv3
— theScore (@theScore) January 23, 2024
I would like to announce my decision to abstain from Team USA 2024 Olympic activities in order to avoid conflicts with my livestream of my Cheers/Fraiser/Wings/The Tortellis rewatch this summer. Please follow along at https://t.co/vuL8puk6W8
I prayed on this for quite some time
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) January 25, 2024
In a postscript to his announcement, Robin Lopez humorously mentioned that he was too engrossed in the moment to be bothered by the routine task of spell-checking. This playful touch added a further layer of humor to his explanation for choosing classic TV series over participating in Team USA’s Olympic preparations.
Robin Lopez is an absolute gem.
Damian Lillard, Bobby Potis Called up for Team USA
It appears that Robin Lopez’s statements were laden with sarcasm, making it clear that Team USA never actually intended to include him in the first place. Lopez seems to be having some light-hearted fun with the situation.
p.s. I mispelled "Frasier" due to overwhelming grief and anxiety
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) January 25, 2024
In contrast, the case is different for Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis, both of whom have been legitimately included in the preliminary player pool for the national squad. Their inclusion reflects genuine consideration for their potential participation in the upcoming Olympics.
If Damian Lillard makes it to the final roster, it won’t be his first time representing the United States at the international level. The seven-time All-Star was a key part of the 2020 gold medal-winning squad in the Tokyo Olympics, and he might be gearing up to replicate that success once again this summer.
As for Bobby Portis, he had a previous stint with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup last summer. The team’s fourth-place finish in that tournament was disappointing, and Portis might be eager for a shot at redemption in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Both players bring valuable experience and skills to the national squad, potentially contributing to the team’s success on the international stage.