Wade to undergo knee surgery, will miss Olympics - Examiner.com

One week removed from earning his second NBA championship, Dwyane Wade announced that he would suspend his pursuit of a second Olympic gold medal.

The 6’4”, 220-pound Wade, the driving force behind the Marquette Golden Eagles' 2003 NCAA Final Four season, advised on Thursday that he will undergo surgery on his ailing left knee and, as a result, will not suit up for Team USA in next month’s London Olympics.

“I’ve decided to listen to my doctors and get the procedure I need on my knee,” cited Wade, who averaged 22.6 points per outing during the Miami Heat’s five-game triumph over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, according to the AP. “USA Basketball said I had to do what was best for me. They want me to be obviously as healthy as possible so I can continue to play this game at a high level. They were very supportive and told me if I ever want to come around the team, I’m welcome and I’m part of the family.”

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The 30-year-old Wade, a native of Chicago, came off the bench for Team USA in 2008 in Beijing as a member of the “Redeem Team” and paced the squad in scoring (16.0 ppg), highlighted by a 27-point showing during the Americans title-clinching victory over Spain.

“The reason I wanted to play this time around was because of the guys, a lot of the guys from that team and the camaraderie that we sharedâ€"that was special,” said Wade, who earned a bronze medal during the 2004 Olympics in Athens and is 36-5 overall as a member of Team USA, as reported by the AP. “Another reason why I wanted to play again is that my sons are a little older this time. They’d have an opportunity to be there, share in the experience.”

Wade, an eight-time NBA All-Star selection who holds the Marquette record for points scored in a single season (710) and led the Association in scoring in 2009, has accumulated career per game averages of 25.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals.