With his selection to the team, three-time Olympic medallist Anthony becomes the first male basketball player selected for four separate Games. He would be an important player of the team in Olympics. “I mean, 12 National Basketball Association stars, very unselfish guys, very versatile team, we definitely should be favored”.
Advertisement
Green also becomes the seventh player from the state to play for the USA Olympic men’s basketball team, following Spencer Haywood (Detroit, 1968), Tom LaGarde (Detroit, 1976), Jeff Grayer (Flint, 1988), Majerle (Traverse City, 1988), Johnson (Lansing, 1992) and Smith (Detroit, 2000).
James was part of successful USA basketball teams in Beijing eight summers ago and at London 2012. Instead, the roster is filled with at least eight players that are capable of playing the small forward spot.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said having a national team pool, which he began in 2005, always has the Americans ready for player losses. “I love our depth… we’ve got a great mix of talent, scorers, past gold medal winners and outstanding youth”.
Warriors’ point guard Stephen Curry has elected not to play due to lingering injuries he suffering during the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Golden State’s Harrison Barnes were the final two players to accept invitations.
It would be easy to use those high-profile absences as reason to pay less attention to Team USA when they start the Olympic tournament.
Training for the event will last from July 18-21 in Las Vegas. “They want to play”. He will need to find the right rotations and build this team’s chemistry in a matter of weeks, but luckily he has done it before and understand what it takes. During his statement, Coach Krzyzewski gushed over the diversity of the roster.
Mike Krzyzewski will coach the Americans for the third and final time, tying Henry Iba’s team record. “Since 2006 and including the last two Olympics, our players have represented themselves, the game and our country in an exemplary manner”.
Advertisement
The team will continue its exhibition schedule with a July 29 game against Venezuela at the United Center in Chicago and conclude with a game against Nigeria on August 1 in Houston, Texas. “We have lightning-quick guards who can score and distribute the basketball”.
