USA Basketball today added 15 additional players to the list of finalists for the Team USA men’s roster ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which will take place in July. These additions brings the total list to a whopping 57 players, in an effort to get ahead of any complications with the NBA schedule or player opt-outs.
The new list includes young stars like Zion Williamson, Trae Young and Zach LaVine, who have been added to a broader group of finalists including Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry.
USA Basketball announces the 57 finalists for the U.S. men’s Olympic team: pic.twitter.com/uu7ZbULVU5
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) March 11, 2021
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix that the large player pool was formed in an effort to avoid the challenging “uncertainties” that the team may face ahead of this year’s Olympics.
USA Basketball announces 57 finalists for this summer's men's national team — a 15 player increase from the original pool. Says Jerry Colangelo, "“Having a larger player pool than what we normally have is critical because of all of the uncertainties we face about availability."
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 11, 2021
While it will take some work to whittle this group down to the final roster who will represent the United States this summer, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has already announced his intention to play. No formal offer has been made, but as one of the pre-eminent talents in the NBA, the assumption is Leonard would be invited.
In time, we will see whether Leonard’s sentiment is shared broadly among NBA players after a nightmarish past 12 months for the league, but for now, USA Basketball is playing it safe and casting a wide net to find their Olympic roster for this summer.
