NEWSLETTER
Zach LaVine’s chance to play in the Tokyo Olympics is at risk.
According to USA Basketball, the Chicago Bulls All-Star had to enter health and safety protocols, and he will not travel with the rest of the team to Tokyo on Monday.
Zach LaVine has been placed under USA Basketball’s health & safety protocols & will not travel with the team to Tokyo today.
We hope that Zach will be able to join the team in Tokyo later this week.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 19, 2021
Marc Stein shared the official statement from Team USA, and it stated that LaVine’s stint in quarantine is “out of an abundance of caution.” USA Basketball also tweeted out above that they hope LaVine can rejoin the team later this week. Exactly how or when that would occur, however, is unknown.
Still, we seem to have avoided the worst. We saw a similar situation play out recently with Jerami Grant. Although Bradley Beal has to be replaced on the roster, Grant was also placed into quarantine out of what they referred to as “an abundance of caution,” and he did return to suit up with the team for their final exhibition game against Spain on Sunday.
For what it’s worth, we also have reason to be LaVine is fully vaccinated. While this will be his second stint in health and safety protocols in three months, his positive test back in April reportedly came after his first shot of a two-dose vaccine, per K.C. Johnson. We do not know exactly the kind of procedures Team USA runs behind the scenes, but perhaps vaccinated status will play a role in how quickly he can make the trip to Tokyo.
We all know how excited LaVine was for this opportunity. Will also know how much he has shined on the floor over the last couple of games. I’ll be absolutely gutted for him if this turns out to hold him back from representing the country overseas, but I’ll just stick with positive thoughts for now.
Get back soon, Zach!
LaVine Ends Exhibition Play Strong, Free Agents List, More Dinwiddie Thoughts, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/4Efxjtk1wA
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) July 19, 2021
