LeBron James is making his Olympic comeback after 12 years, while Stephen Curry is set for his Olympic debut. Kevin Durant is eyeing a historic moment at the Paris Games, joining a star-studded USA Basketball team.
USA Basketball revealed its men’s Olympic squad for Paris, including James, Curry, Durant, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, and Kawhi Leonard.
Grant Hill, USA Basketball’s managing director, expressed confidence in the team’s talent on NBC’s “Today” show, acknowledging the tough competition ahead.
The roster boasts seven players with a total of 10 Olympic gold medals, with Durant leading with three, followed by James with two, and one each for Adebayo, Booker, Holiday, Tatum, and Booker.
Together, the players averaged 24.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season, shooting 39% from beyond the arc. Adebayo expressed his gratitude for being selected among the top 12 players to represent the United States, considering it a significant honor.
The talent on the U.S. team is impressive. Seven of the 12 players finished among the NBA’s top 15 scorers this season.
LeBron James holds the record for all-time scoring, while Stephen Curry leads in 3-pointers. Tyrese Haliburton topped the charts for assists per game this season, and all 12 were All-Stars.
USA Basketball’s goal is clear: they aim to win the gold. The team has clinched the last four Olympic gold medals and remains ranked No. 1 in the world by FIBA.
While other nations like France, Germany, Serbia, and Canada will be strong contenders, the U.S. team’s roster boasts unmatched NBA star power.
Grant Hill has been leading the effort to assemble the team, with the plan to finalize the roster well ahead of the training camp in Las Vegas in July. Tryouts were not part of the plan for this team.
Kevin Durant aims to make history by becoming the first men’s player with four Olympic gold medals. Currently, Durant and Carmelo Anthony are the only men’s players with three Olympic golds.
James aims to secure his fourth Olympic medal, having won bronze in 2004 and golds in 2008 and 2012.
Other players on the roster with past gold medals include Davis (2012), Adebayo (2020), Booker (2020), Tatum (2020), and Holiday (2020). These gold medals were won in 2021 due to the Tokyo Games being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Curry will make his Olympic debut, as will Leonard and Embiid, who opted to play for the U.S. after becoming a citizen. Embiid, originally from Cameroon, could have represented France at the Paris Games.
Haliburton and Edwards, both part of the U.S. team that finished fourth at the World Cup in Manila last year, are also first-time Olympians.
Choosing the final roster from over 40 players was a challenging task.
Kerr, the U.S. coach, acknowledges the high anticipation for the Paris Olympics, making decisions about the roster difficult.
Durant and Curry expressed their desire to play earlier, while Adebayo had already committed to the team. It’s expected that players like James will join if they express interest.
The U.S. men’s basketball team has a remarkable history at the Olympics, winning 19 medals in 19 appearances, including 16 gold.
Kerr will coach the Paris team, assisted by Spoelstra, Lue, and Few. There’s a chance the roster could change due to injuries or NBA playoff performances leading up to the summer.
