Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has withdrawn from the NBA All-Star Game to be as healthy as possible for the second half of the season.
He hasn't played since straining his right hamstring on January 27, which wasn't long after he overcame an issue with his left hamstring.
Wade has missed Miami's last six games, and will remain inactive when the Heat close their pre-All-Star schedule in Cleveland on Wednesday.
"The smartest thing to do is let someone else come in and really enjoy the All-Star experience ... I owe it to the Heat fans to at least play in a Heat jersey first, than go out there in the All-Star Game and play a couple of minutes."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed Atlanta's Kyle Korver will be Wade's replacement on the Eastern Conference squad.
Wade said he thought Milwaukee's Brandon Knight, who was born in Miami, would have been a fitting choice.
Korver, who was All-Star weekend bound anyway for the three-point contest, is the record-tying fourth Atlanta player in the East squad. The Hawks are the runaway leaders in the East.
The hope from the Heat camp is Wade will be fully ready to play when the team resumes practice on February 18, and that his return to the line-up could come when Miami visits the New York Knicks on February 20.
Wade, a three-time NBA champion, has been an All-Star selection in each of the last 11 seasons, and was the game's MVP in 2010.
Share
