Dwyane Wade says Olympics not about money
MIAMI—Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade insisted Thursday that pride in representing America was his motivation for playing in the Olympic Games, not money.
“I do not want to be paid to go to the Olympics,” Wade said in a statement — a day after he was quoted as saying he believes “guys should be compensated” for the time they devote to the Olympic team.
On Thursday, Wade said he had been responding to a question about Olympians being paid.
He noted the scheduling demands of Olympic participation, which leave little time for recovery from the NBA season.
He also noted that Olympic merchandising is a big business that athletes have no share in.
“What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of — and it’s a complicated issue,” Wade said in a response posted on his Twitter feed.
“My love 4 the game and pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount,” he tweeted. “It has always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family and I’m looking forward to doing it again in London this summer.”
Wade played for the United States team that won bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics and was on the team that won gold in Beijing in 2008.
He has said that this year’s London Games would be his last.
