Cavaliers' Love withdraws from Team USA citing slow injury rehab

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love will not play for the U.S. national team at the Tokyo Olympics due to the lingering effects of a right calf injury.

"I am incredibly disappointed to not be heading to Tokyo with Team USA, but you need to be at absolute peak performance to compete at the Olympic level, and I am just not there yet," Love said in a statement through his agent, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 32-year-old's withdrawal is the second Team USA has faced in as many days. Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal was also forced to bow out after entering health and safety protocols.

Love was one of just three players on the U.S. roster with previous Olympic experience, along with Kevin Durant (2012, 2016) and Draymond Green (2016).

The 13-year NBA veteran is coming off a rough 2020-21 season. Love averaged 12.2 points - the lowest output since his rookie year - and a career-low 7.4 rebounds across just 25 appearances. He did shoot 36.5% on 3-pointers.

Love hasn't played more than 60 games in a regular season since 2015-16 when he helped LeBron James and Kyrie Irving secure the Cavaliers' first championship.