The Tokyo Olympics are just over a month away, and the USA Basketball men’s roster is complete.
USA Basketball had to narrow down a field of 57 players to 12 for the games. Several players committed in recent days, which filled out the roster that will likely once again be considered the favorite for the gold medal.
Here’s who’s in:
- Kevin Durant , F, Brooklyn Nets
- TBD
- Damian Lillard , G, Portland Trail Blazers
- Devin Booker , G, Phoenix Suns
- Jayson Tatum , F, Boston Celtics
- Bradley Beal , G, Washington Wizards
- Khris Middleton , G/F, Milwaukee Bucks
- Bam Adebayo , C, Miami Heat
- Draymond Green , F/C, Golden State Warriors
- Jrue Holiday , G, Milwaukee Bucks
- Kevin Love, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Brook Lopez , C, Milwaukee Bucks
While the roster looks strong, it’s missing some big-name players who turned down a shot at gold:
- LeBron James , F, Los Angeles Lakers
- Anthony Davis , F/C, Los Angeles Lakers
- James Harden , G/F, Brooklyn Nets
- Stephen Curry , G, Golden State Warriors
- Kyrie Irving , G, Brooklyn Nets
- Jimmy Butler , G/F, Miami Heat
- Donovan Mitchell , G, Utah Jazz
- Chris Paul , G, Phoenix Suns
And several other star players didn’t make the cut: Zion Williamson, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Trae Young, Mike Conley, Zach LaVine, Julius Randle, and Jaylen Brown, among others.
There are two factors to watch. First, Team USA isn’t particularly big. Lopez is the only 7-footer. Adebayo is a full-time center but listed at just 6-foot-9. Green can play center but is only 6-foot-7. And the US will be leaning on shooting and length, and rim protection may be an issue if Lopez gets played off the floor or Adebayo gets into foul trouble.
It’s also possible that four players – Booker, Middleton, Holiday, and Lopez – will play in the NBA Finals, which would make them miss training camp for the Olympics. The turnaround would be incredibly tight, as Game 7 of the Finals is scheduled for July 22, one day before the games begin. And an incomplete roster during training camp could negatively affect the team.Read the original article on Insider