USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team
The USA Basketball Men’s National Team is the national basketball team of the United States. The team is the most successful basketball team in the world, winning medals in nineteen of the past nineteen Olympic tournaments. The team has 16 gold medals to its credit. Here’s a look at who might make the team. Who’s your pick? Who’s a must-have on your roster? The answer to all those questions will surprise you.
Rice
While Rice’s selection may be a surprise, it’s not as shocking as his high school team’s departure. The Sidwell Friends School squad has twelve players who rank in the top 100 in the nation. Rice led his team to a 30-0 record and a DCSAA championship. He was named to ESPN’s All-America team and was also ranked No. 1 in MaxPreps. In November, he signed with UCLA. Rice led Sidwell Friends to a perfect 30-0 record, and the DCSAA Class AA state championship. Taylor praised Rice’s basketball IQ, and his character.
Holiday
Jrue Randall Holiday plays for the NBA team Milwaukee Bucks. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft. Holiday is currently the sixth-ranked player in the NBA, and is the first player from the Milwaukee Bucks on the USA basketball roster. Holiday has played professionally for several years and has represented the United States on a number of occasions, including at the Summer Olympics.
Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant, also known as KD, is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association. The USA’s first world championship was won by the Brooklyn Nets in 2004. His name has been a source of controversy, but he has since come out of retirement to play in the Olympics. Nonetheless, he’s still making waves in the NBA and on the international stage.
Green
Golden State Warriors forward Damian Lillard and Portland Trail Blazers guard Draymond Green are likely to be on the USA basketball roster. While Lillard was not considered for the Rio Olympics last summer, he was a late withdrawal from the team. Lillard would be making his first Olympics appearance, while Green would be making his second. It will be interesting to see who the NBA players choose to represent the United States. Let’s take a look at what we can expect from them.
Love
Kevin Wesley Love is a professional basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. Love has been a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA Second Team selection. In 2016, he won the NBA championship with the Cavs. This summer, he will be part of the USA basketball team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. You can read more about his NBA career here.
Grant
After his freshman year at Syracuse, Jerami Grant entered the 2014 NBA Draft. He was selected 39th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Grant spent two seasons with the 76ers before joining the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in eighty games this past season. In addition to his NBA career, Grant has played in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets and for the USA basketball team.
LaVine
Zachary Thomas LaVine is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association. LaVine was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft with the thirteenth overall pick. Since then, LaVine has played in the NBA, European Cup, and for his club team Chicago Bulls. He has won several championships in his career and has been named to several All-Star teams.
Taylor
The USA basketball program has announced a 12-man team for the 2022 Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team. The team will play two games in the fourth qualifying window, resulting in six games in total leading up to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. In addition to playing Colombia, the USA will host Uruguay on Aug. 25. There are some familiar faces on the team. A look at their experience in professional basketball will give you an idea of what to expect.
Athens 2004
In the Summer Olympics of 2004, the United States basketball team competed against the host nation of Greece. Led by a future Basketball Hall of Fame head coach, Larry Brown, Team USA went 0-4. Despite their promising start, the Americans lost three of their first four games and finished fourth in the tournament. Their success at the Olympics is due largely to their young and unproven lineup. The following is a list of the players who made the Athens 2004 USA basketball roster.
