AP source: Grant accepts Olympic bid, pushes US roster to 12
USA Basketball now has a full 12-man roster for the Tokyo Games, after Chicagoโs Zach LaVine and Detroitโs Jerami Grant accepted invitations Wednesday to join the team that will try to win the programโs fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
USA Basketball picks 57 players for men's Tokyo Games pool
USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summerโs rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. Itโs also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. โBut for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.โ
FIBA holds draws for Olympic basketball tournaments
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich signals to players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in San Antonio, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. The Tokyo Games open July 23, one day after the NBA says is the last possible date for this seasonโs NBA Finals. AdSerbia will play host to the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Italy and Senegal. Croatia will play host to Germany, Russia, Mexico, Tunisia and Brazil. And Canada will play host to Greece, China, Uruguay, Turkey and the Czech Republic.
AP sources: USA Basketball eyeing 60 players in Olympic pool
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots as Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)MIAMI โ USA Basketball is casting a wider-than-usual net in its roster selection for this summer's rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, two people with knowledge of the situation said Saturday. The additions mean at least 60 players could be on the player-pool list that will be released by USA Basketball in the coming weeks. ESPN first reported that USA Basketball has sent approximately 60 invitations to be part of the player pool. USA Basketball is planning a training camp and exhibition games.
Popovich knows filling US Olympic roster may be a challenge
And when presented with this potential scheduling conundrum, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich โ who will coach USA Basketball menโs national team at the next Olympics โ came up with a very quick, very lighthearted solution. โI donโt think weโre going to let the finals go seven games,โ Popovich said. Popovich will be head coach of the Olympic team for the first time, succeeding Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. โThe Olympics is always on my mind, just as Coach K told me it would be,โ Popovich said Tuesday. The 2016 Olympic team was picked about six weeks before the start of the Rio Games, allowing time for a training camp and exhibitions before heading to Brazil.