Are you ready for some Olympic basketball?
Though the NBA playoffs continue, Team USA has announced the star-studded 12-man roster that will compete at the Tokyo Olympic games in an effort to win its fourth consecutive Olympic title.
Headlining the team will be Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, fresh off of a herculean playoff effort that fell just inches short from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA playoffs after missing the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing from an Achilles injury. Durant's 48 points in the final game against the Milwaukee Bucks were the most ever scored in a Game 7 in NBA playoff history, just days after a 49 point, 17 rebound, 10 assist triple-double in Game 5.
Durant is the fourth U.S. male basketball player selected to three or more Olympic teams, joining LeBron James and David Robinson with three, and Carmelo Anthony, who holds the record at four Olympic games.
Joining Durant, who won Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 2012 and 2016, will be his former Golden State Warriors and 2016 Olympics teammate Draymond Green, as well as Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love, who played with Durant in 2012 in London.
The full 2021 roster includes:
- Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
- Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
- Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
- Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
- Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons)
- Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
- Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)
- Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Beal, LaVine, Lillard and Tatum were named 2021 NBA All-Stars, Lillard and Beal were named to All-NBA teams this past season, and Green, Holiday and Adebayo were named to NBA All-Defensive teams.
Middleton, Holiday and Booker are currently vying for the NBA title in the playoffs.
The team will also feature head coach Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) on the sidelines, along with assistant coaches Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Lloyd Pierce, former head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, and former Hofstra coach Jay Wright, who currently serves as Villanova's head coach.
“I’m happy for the selected players and looking forward to having the opportunity to work with this wonderful group when practice gets underway on July 6 in Las Vegas,” Popovich said in a statement. “I’m excited to represent the United States in our quest to earn a gold medal in Tokyo.”
“We are excited about the 12 players who have been selected to represent the United States in the Tokyo Olympics,” Team USA Managing Director Jerry Colangelo added. “This was an unusually challenging selection process for many reasons, including the year postponement of the Olympics and the issues related to the timing of the NBA regular season and playoffs.
Team USA practice begins July 6 in Las Vegas, followed by a five-game exhibition series on July 10. Team USA's men's team will open Olympic preliminary round play on July 25, against France.
Gold and bronze medal games are scheduled for Aug. 7.