Emeka Okafor said Friday that he will keep his spot on the U.S. Olympic basketball team.

But the heads of the Charlotte Bobcats, the team that drafted him No. 2 overall last night, are not exactly delighted with the decision.  They would prefer that he commit to summer league play to ready himself for his rookie NBA season.

Okafor was selected over Brad Miller and Theo Ratliff.  The official announcement is expected next week.
 
"It's a great honor, especially since it kind of came out of nowhere," Okafor said. "It's almost like a chance of a lifetime, to be an Olympian at 21."

"We are somewhat concerned because all that basketball causes a lot of wear and tear and prevents you from being fresh at the start of the season," Bobcats head coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said. "We have many concerns that we want to address."

Besides preparation and summer league play, Okafor's health is also a concern.  He has had a back injury and the straing of extra basketball could be a dubious choice.  

But Okafor's agent disagrees.

"There are a lot of guys at his position, so who knows how much he'd even play," Jeff Schwartz said. "But even so, he's a young kid and he's not going to get worn out playing basketball."

On the other hand, Bickerstaff can point out the famed "wall" that most rookies hit as their basketball season extends from 36 to 82 games.

"It's good to represent your country," Bickerstaff said. "But I am looking at it from a selfish point of view. I don't want him worn down."

Concerns aside, Okafor's decision seems largely based on the honor and pride of playing for his country.

"It was a no-brainer, I jumped at the opportunity," Okafor said.