Incoming Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins won’t play for the Canadian U19 team at the World Championships in Prague but could still opt to play for the Canadian Senior National Team this summer.
“Currently, Andrew is preparing himself for his upcoming year at KU,” Rowan Barrett, executive vice-president and assistant general manager of Canada Basketball’s Senior Men’s program, told SNY.tv.
Barrett previously told Canada Basketball that, “at 18 years old, Andrew has a long basketball career ahead of him. Andrew’s decision to prepare himself this summer for the upcoming season is a decision we acknowledge. Our team will miss Andrew this summer, but we remain focused on Andrew’s long-term development and our organizational goals for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and beyond.”
The FIBA U19 World Championship is set for June 27 – July 7 in Prague.
Wiggins headlined the Canadian U18 team that lost to Argentina in the semifinals in Brazil in 2012. That roster included Syracuse-bound point guard Tyler Ennis, Florida State signee Xavier Rathan-Mayes and uncommitted 2014 forward Trey Lyles, who is considering several schools and plans to announce next spring.
“Although @22wiggins skill set will be missed, Canada will field a solid team regardless #eyesontheprize,” Tweeted Mark Bayne, Nike’s North America Field Representative.
Kansas coach Bill Self had previously told KUSports.com he would support Wiggins playing in the U19 Championship as long as “he’s getting better.”
“They are working out all details with the national team, how much of a time commitment,” Self told the site.
“In a perfect world, they’d like about nine weeks straight of commitment, something like that. He doesn’t want to do that. That makes for an awful long year when you spend your whole summer in a competitive deal. It’s what they are talking about and trying to work out.”
**For more stories on Andrew Wiggins, click here.
