USA Basketball has finally made its decision. With the 2024 Paris Olympics only 3 months away, fans were eager to know the star-studded roster representing America among the best in the world. A 41-athlete pool was announced in January which was in consideration to make the final cut for the 12-member team. Sources finally have what looks like the golden names! LeBron James and Stephen Curry are unsurprisingly among the biggest names on there.
As per NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the final roster for Team USA includes Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis. While these 11 have their Paris tickets booked, the team is likely to keep a spot open initially to determine who best fits the roster ahead of the Olympics.
Although the final roster includes some of the biggest names in the NBA, it was not an easy process for the selectors. The initial 41-player pool was full of elite players who could have made a legitimate case for a spot in the Final 12.
ESPN Sources: USA Basketball is finalizing its 2024 Paris Olympics roster with Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Team may initially keep one open spot. pic.twitter.com/kO7TREBVDK
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2024
ESPN Sources: USA Basketball is finalizing its 2024 Paris Olympics roster with Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Team may initially keep one open spot. pic.twitter.com/kO7TREBVDK
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2024
In an interview in November, Team USA head coach Steve Kerr revealed how difficult it was to finalize the team, “It’s highly likely that guys who want to play may not be … whether it’s established guys or guys who have been with us and guys who just played and played really well this last go-around, no matter how you slice it, you can only take 12, so it’s very, very difficult, and it’s a painful process because, you know, you get really attached to guys.”
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Can Team USA redeem themselves in Paris?
Team USA became a laughing stock after they failed to win any silverware in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The humiliating 4th place exit led to the biggest NBA superstars announcing their interest in participating in the Paris Olympics to bring glory back to America. Many called it ‘Redeem Team 2.0’. With the final roster set for the summer showdown, let’s look at their chances of winning gold in Paris.
USA Basketball has gone with a guard-heavy roster with 5 elite guards on the team. Stephen Curry was a lock in the Final 12 from the very moment he expressed interest in going to Paris. After their dominant performance in the FIBA World Cup and the NBA regular season, Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards retained their spots. Haliburton averaged 8.6 points, 5.6 assists, and 3 rebounds in the 2023 tournament. On the other hand, Edwards emerged as a superstar despite Team USA’s 4th-place finish, averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. The addition of Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday provides elite shooting and defense.