Other team members for the Rio de Janeiro games this summer include Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, Toronto guard Chicago Kyle Lowery, Chicago guard/forward Jimmy Butler, Toronto forward DeMar DeRozan, Indiana forward Paul George and L.A. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan.
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So the Americans will look to Anthony, who becomes the first US men’s basketball player to appear in four Olympics, and Durant, who set a USA record by averaging 19.5 points in London.
Anthony, a Baltimore native, tweeted on Monday, “Humbled to rep #TeamUSA in my 4th Olympics #RIO #UNITE” with a picture of a U.S. jersey.
Krzyzewski has led the U.S.to a 75-1 record since taking over as head coach in 2006-including a 63-game winning streak that spans across two Olympic gold medals and two World Championship titles.
USA Basketball announced its official 12-man 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team that will try to win the Americans’ third straight gold medal.
Team USA goes to Rio as heavy favorites, despite also being without such big name stars as Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kawhi Leonard, Blake Griffin and James Harden. Irving was also named the 2014 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. They will play in five exhibition games around the country before heading to Rio in August.
A three-year letterwinner for the Longhorns (1958-60) who garnered All-America honors as a senior, Jay Arnette earned a gold medal with Team USA at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
“We have lightning-quick guards who can score as well as distribute the basketball”, Coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “We don’t have as numerous big-name guys that we’ve had before, but I think so far this is a great group of guys and they’re hungry”. He played for the national team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
With the time for Rio Olympics coming near, teams have started chalking out their member list.
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Four Tar Heel coaches have also represented USA Basketball in the Summer Games – Dean Smith (head coach in 1976), Bill Guthridge (assistant coach in 1976), Larry Brown (assistant coach in 2000, head coach in 2004) and Roy Williams (assistant coach in 2004).
