US Basketball Announces Pool Of Players For Tokyo Olympics

The US Men’s Basketball national team roster pool has been revealed. The pool of players has a chance to be selected to play in the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics this summer.

On Thursday, a total of 57 players were revealed to be part of the pool to fill the squad. Among those 57 players, 13 of them have already won Olympic gold medals for the US national team. Those players include three-time Olympic winner LeBron James and two-time gold medalists Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.

Other players in the pool are former gold medalists Harrison Barnes, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Draymond Green, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, and Russell Westbrook.

The rest of the player pool are returning players from last year’s pool are Bam Adebayo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Barnes, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Mike Conley, Curry, Anthony Davis, DeRozan, Andre Drummond, Durant, George, Green, Harden, Montrezl Harrell, Joe Harris, Tobias Harris, Gordon Hayward, Dwight Howard, Brandon Ingram, Irving, James, Kyle Kuzma, Leonard, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, Love, Lowry, JaVale McGee, Khris Middleton, Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo, Paul, Mason Plumlee, Jayson Tatum, Myles Turner, Kemba Walker, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick White.

NBA superstars Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry are both interested in playing in the Olympics for the first time. Leonard has mentioned that if he is healthy during the summer, then he’ll play in the Olympics. Curry has participated in the Basketball World Cup but never in the Olympics.

There will be no tryouts for players to prove themselves that they deserve to be on the team. Instead, the list of players will be sent to a 12 person Olympic committee team, and they will decide the roster based on health and eligibility.

The USA Basketball men’s national team managing director Jerry Colangelo gave his reasoning for a large player pool saying, “Having a larger player pool than what we normally have is critical because of all of the uncertainties we face about availability.” Colangelo continued his statement and remarked, “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

Article by Allan Perez