2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Announced

0
155
Image Credit: www.usab.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (April 17, 2024) – USA Basketball announced today the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team, which will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, set for July 26-Aug. 11, 2024. The team was selected by USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.

The team is highlighted by 12 athletes with extensive USA Basketball experience including three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), who owns a pair of Olympic gold medals.

In addition to Durant and James, the 2024 USA Men’s National Team features Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

The squad boasts a combined 11 Olympic appearances and owns 10 Olympic gold medals as well as three FIBA World Cup titles. In total, the U.S. will take 12 NBA All-Stars, four NBA MVPs and six NBA champions to Paris.

“It’s an honor to introduce the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team,” Hill said. “I’m grateful to these 12 men for their commitment to represent USA Basketball. The United States is home to some of the best basketball players in the world and I appreciate the vast interest in being part of this roster. These decisions weren’t easy, but it was a pleasure to go through the process and reach this outcome.

“We have the utmost respect for the level of competition we will face this summer. The Olympics represent the pinnacle of sport and the world will be watching the USA as we play in the toughest basketball tournament in history.”

Durant, who is also a 2010 World Cup gold medalist, is the USA’s all-time Olympic statistical leader in total points (435), scoring average (19.8 ppg), field goals (146), 3-point field goals (74) and free throws (69). He ranks third in rebounds (118) and blocks (16) and fourth in games played (24) and assists (71).

James, who has scored 273 points (3rd all-time among Americans) in the Olympics, will compete in his fourth Games and first since 2012. He won gold in 2008 and 2012 and made his Olympics debut in 2004 (bronze). James also owns a 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas gold medal.

Adebayo (2020), Booker (2020), Davis (2012), Holiday (2020) and Tatum (2020) have won Olympic gold medals and are part of a group that has gone 34-4 in Olympic competition since James’ debut in 2004.

Curry is a two-time World Cup champion (2010, 2014) and will make his Olympic debut this summer. He is one of six players who has competed at the World Cup, including Davis (2014), Durant (2010), Edwards (2023), Haliburton (2023), James (2006) and Tatum (2019). Of the seven World Cup participants, three (Curry; Davis, 2014; Durant, 2010) have also won gold and two (Edwards, 2023; Durant, 2010) have taken home All-Star Five honors. Edwards and Haliburton competed at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Manila, helping to secure the United States’ Olympic bid.

Embiid and Leonard will make their USA Basketball national team debuts when the United States hosts Canada on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to open the USA Basketball Showcase.

The 2024 USA Men’s National Team will be led by head coach Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), who is assisted by Mark Few (Gonzaga University), Tyronn Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat). Last summer, the quartet coached the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Manila.

“My staff and I are honored to coach this amazing group of players in our quest to win Olympic gold in Paris,” Kerr said. “We plan to represent USA Basketball with the utmost class and we hope to make our country proud.”

USA Basketball will commence training camp on July 6 in Las Vegas. Following the game vs. Canada, the Americans will embark on an international training window that begins when the USA hosts Australia and Serbia on July 15 and 17, respectively, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Australia and Serbia will also face off on July 18 in Abu Dhabi. Tickets will go on sale this spring, but fans can register for updates by clicking here.

The USA Basketball Showcase continues at London’s O2 Arena when the USA men takes on the national teams of South Sudan on July 20 and Germany on July 22, followed by a tilt between the USA women and Germany on July 23.

The USA Basketball Showcase features a series of games that help the USA Basketball National Teams prepare for major competitions, including the Olympic Summer Games and FIBA World Cup. For more information on the USA Basketball Showcase and to purchase tickets, click here.

The USA officially qualified for the Paris Games as one of the top two nations from the FIBA Americas zone at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in September. The American men will compete for their fifth straight – and 17th overall – Olympic gold medal.

As part of Group C, the American men will face Serbia on July 28, South Sudan on July 31 and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Puerto Rico on Aug. 3 in the first round of the Olympic tournament. The 5-on-5 Olympic basketball group phase will take place in Lille, France, before the tournament moves to Paris for knockout and medal rounds.

In total, USA Basketball will be represented by four teams at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games, including 5-on-5 men and women and 3×3 men and women. The USA are reigning Olympic champions in 5-on-5 men and women and 3×3 women, with 3×3 men set to make their Olympic debut this summer.

2024 USA Basketball Showcase
USA Basketball Men’s National Team
Date Time (Local) Time (EDT) Opponent Location Television (U.S)
July 10, 2024 7:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. Canada Las Vegas, NV FS1
July 15, 2024 8 p.m. 12 p.m. Australia Abu Dhabi, UAE FS1
July 17, 2024 8 p.m. 12 p.m. Serbia Abu Dhabi, UAE FS1
July 20, 2024 8 p.m. 3 p.m. South Sudan London, UK FOX
July 22, 2024 8 p.m. 3 p.m. Germany London, UK FOX
Paris 2024 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament
USA Basketball Group C Schedule
Date Time (Local) Time (EDT) Opponent Location
July 28, 2024 5:15 p.m. 11:15 a.m. Serbia Lille, France
July 31, 2024 9 p.m. 3 p.m. South Sudan Lille, France
Aug. 3, 2024 5:15 p.m. 11:15 a.m. W OQT PUR Lille, France