Even without James and Curry, 11 of the 12 players on the U.S. Team were All-Stars or first-team All-NBA selections in the last two seasons, which is more than the 2012 gold-medalists in London. “This year it was exacerbated by circumstances beyond anyone’s control, and that was the reality, the speculation and the circumstance in Rio”, Colangelo said.
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The fifth-year guard shot a career-best 47.0 percent from the field while ranking fifth in the league in three-point percentage (.425), hitting a career-best 276 three-pointers (third-most in Warriors history). While the level of basketball around the world has improved over the years, there is no doubt the Americans are the favorites to leave with some shiny new hardware.
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). Coach Mike Krzyzewski will be at the helm in his third and final Olympic games before Gregg Popovich assumes control of the squad.
The toughest competition for the U.S.is likely Spain and Lithuania.
Nine players – Anthony, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Durant, Paul George, Green, Kyle Lowry, and Thompson – were 2016 NBA All-Stars.
The U.S. will play two exhibition games versus 2015 FIBA Asia zone champ China, the first in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. Eastern on July 24 and the second at 10 p.m. Eastern on July 26 in Oakland. For ticket information visit usab.com/showcase.
USA Basketball announced the 12-member men’s basketball Olympic team Monday, officially naming Green as a member.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said having a national team pool, which he began in 2005, always has the Americans ready for player losses.
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Men’s basketball preliminary play at the ’16 Olympics will be held Aug. 6-15, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Aug. 17, semifinals on Aug. 19 and the gold and bronze medal games on Aug. 21. Time for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, in case you didn’t know. Because of this, the United States team should still be the most talented team in the world, even without some of the country’s top players.
