When the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup begins on Aug. 31, Canada will be without yet another NBA player.
According to multiple reports, Miami forward Kelly Olynyk has been ruled out from competing after a Heat team doctor examined the bone bruise in his knee.
After suffering a knee injury in competition last week, Miami Heat F Kelly Olynyk will be unable to compete for Canada in the FIBA World Cup, source tells ESPN. Olynyk is expected to be ready for the start of the NBA season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 13, 2019
Olynyk, who was one of just three NBA players with a guaranteed contract on the roster, suffered the injury in the third quarter of Canada's exhibition against Nigeria last week. The big man slipped, lost his footing and needed to be helped to the locker room after falling on his knee.
here's the sequence in the third quarter where kelly olynyk slipped on a wet spot on the floor and had to be helped to the locker room pic.twitter.com/RUn5R8zmgL
— Yahoo Sports Canada (@YahooCASports) August 8, 2019
With Olynyk's injury, just two of the initial 15 NBA players that were invited to Canada's training camp remain in the pool of players that could compete at the World Cup. In addition to Olynyk, RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks and Jamal Murray were unable to participate due to injury, while Chris Boucher withdrew his name due to personal reasons.
With eight players withdrawing ahead of camp, Cory Joseph and Khem Birch are currently the only two remaining players with guaranteed NBA contracts. That, however, could change soon as well.
According to a report from Olgun Uluc of Fox Sporta Australia, Joseph has yet to join the Canadian National Team in Australia, where they are set to play five exhibition games beginning Aug. 16.
"Now, as the team prepares for a pair of warmup games against the Australian Boomers in Perth, just two NBA players remain on the squad, with one of them - the Sacramento Kings’ Cory Joseph - still yet to arrive in the country, according to a Canada Basketball official who spoke to foxsports.com.au."
Canada will open up group play of the 2019 World Cup in China on Sept. 1 as it takes on Australia before facing Lithuania on Sept. 3 and Senegal on Sept. 5.