Later this year at the Paris Olympics, the US men's national basketball team will look to win its fifth consecutive gold medal. Ahead of the much-anticipated Summer Olympics, Team USA unveiled the 41 basketball stars in the playing pool.
NBA superstars LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant top the list. But, in a somewhat surprising decision, Warriors forward Draymond Green was excluded.
Green was a member of the US team that won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. He also helped the US team win the gold medal at the COVID-delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics. .
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LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during their game at Chase Center on October 18, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Green had expressed some interest last year in being part of the Paris-bound team. But he missed 16 games from mid-December to mid-January while serving what was originally called an indefinite suspension following an altercation with Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkić. Green said he considered retiring and sought counseling before being reinstated.
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Golden State head coach Steve Kerr will resume his duties as Team USA's head coach for the upcoming summer competition, while Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra will serve as assistant coach.
Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Mark Few of Gonzaga will also be on the bench and will work as assistants. The final 12-man roster will be finalized in the coming months, and many of those decisions will likely depend on the health of the players and how far their respective teams go in the NBA playoffs.
“The United States has incredible talent in basketball and I am delighted that many of the game's superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Summer Olympics,” said men's national team general manager Grant Hill.
“It is a privilege to select the team that will help us achieve the goal of returning to the top of the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the coming months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”
January 31, 2019; Oakland, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The 76ers defeated the Warriors 113-104. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
A total of 13 players in the group already have Olympic gold medals: Durant has won three and James has two to his name. If he plays and wins for the United States, Durant would be the first male player with four basketball golds.
“I will play in the Olympics,” Durant said flatly last fall.
Curry has yet to represent the country in the Olympics, but previously expressed interest in doing so.
“I definitely want to be there,” Curry said last fall. “I definitely want to be on the team.”
Also chosen for the group: Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Alex Caruso, Anthony Edwards, De'Aaron Fox, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Derrick White and Trae Young.
March 13, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, United States; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (1) reacts with Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the second half at State Farm Arena. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, could have decided to play for France (he has dual citizenship) or even Cameroon, his birthplace, if he qualifies. Instead, he chose to play for the United States last fall.
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The Philadelphia 76ers big man scored a franchise-record 70 points during Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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