WASHINGTON — Blake Griffin has officially withdrawn from the Olympics and Anthony Davis has been added to the U.S. basketball team's roster.
Griffin needs surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and joins a lengthy list of American stars that are sidelined this summer.
Davis replaced him in the Americans' 113-59 exhibition victory over the Dominican Republic on Thursday in Las Vegas, scoring nine points in the fourth quarter. The No. 1 overall draft pick couldn't be put on the 12-man roster for London until Griffin had withdrawn Friday.
"Blake worked extremely hard in our training camp and certainly would have been a valuable contributor," USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "This is another unfortunate injury, but we have to continue to move on and we're very fortunate to have Anthony Davis available. Anthony offers our team additional height and length, and this will be an incredible experience for him."
Davis sprained his ankle during a workout with the New Orleans Hornets and was unable to scrimmage when the Americans opened training camp last Friday, ruining any chance he had of making the original 12-man roster. But Colangelo, intrigued by Davis' skills, asked the 6-foot-10 forward to stick around with the select team of young players that was training against the national team, knowing he could be called upon as a replacement if there were another injury.
The college player of the year at national champion Kentucky last season brings rebounding and shot blocking to a team that has lost Griffin, Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh from its frontcourt.
"Whatever Coach K wants me to do I am going to do," Davis said.
Blake Griffin off US basketball team with knee injury