ATLANTA (AP) — Tiago Splitter won’t be able to play for the home team at the Rio Olympics.
The Atlanta Hawks center said Wednesday he will need eight months to recover from hip surgery, costing him a spot on the Brazilian national team this summer.
Splitter says “everybody wants to play in the Olympics when you’re playing at home. It’s really hard” to sit out the games, which begin Aug. 5.
In his first season with the Hawks, Splitter didn’t make much of an impact. His right hip began hurting in late November and failed to respond to treatment. After missing six games before the All-Star break, he decided surgery was the best option.
Splitter plans to be in Rio to support the Brazilian team, which finished fifth at the 2012 London Games.
