Team USA Basketball

Kevin Love is healthy, excited and ready to prove his detractors wrong as a member of Team USA. 

The 32-year-old suffered through multiple injuries with the Cleveland Cavaliers over the last season, playing just 25 games while averaging 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game—the lowest scoring numbers since his rookie season in 2008-09. That made many question Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo adding Love to the Tokyo Olympics team. 

Love certainly isn't one of them. 

The 2016 NBA Champion has two gold medals playing with Team USA, having won at the 2012 London Olympics and 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. 

Among forwards heading to Japan, Love joins Bam Adebayo, Jerami Grant, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton and Jayson Tatum. Among the notable snubs were NBA stars like Julius Randle, Zion Williamson, Paul George and Gordon Hayward. 

"The best reason to say why Kevin Love as an extra big was because of his international experience," Colangelo told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Yes it’s true he hasn’t played much of anything the last couple of years, but the skills he brings to the table and commitment he’s made to physical conditioning, he’s a versatile guy up front who can rebound and hit shots. Who’s to say how many minutes a guy will play? You’re not playing all 12 players. It was a matter of filling out the roster with role players."

Love played eight games in London, but didn't start any of those contests. He averaged 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game coming off the bench. 

That type of production would certainly help Team USA again in Tokyo, but the question is whether or not Love's body can hold up over the course of the tournament. The Cleveland star's longest stretch of games without a rest in 2020-21 was 19 contests over four weeks from April to May. 

He'll look to prove capable of repeating that once the Olympics kick off in late July. 

USA Basketball on Monday released the jersey numbers for the men's squad ahead of the 2021 Summer Olympics:

Damian Lillard will wear No. 6, as previously reported by Casey Holdahl of NBA.com. The six-time All-Star wears No. 0 for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Kevin Durant will don the No. 7 he wears with the Brooklyn Nets, a change from the No. 5 he wore during the 2016 Summer Olympics. Durant was the team's leading scorer with an average of 19.4 points per game during its 8-0 run to the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.

With Durant, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is the only other returning player from five years ago and will once again wear his No. 14 jersey for Team USA.

The Americans have high expectations as always with a roster featuring elite talent. Top scorers Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum could be difference-makers at this level.

One of the biggest question marks could be fatigue after the condensed NBA season, especially with three of the 12 players set to play in the Finals (Devin Booker, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday). After the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns battle for the title, the players must come together to compete for another type of championship.

The U.S. has earned gold medals in each of the last three Olympics.

The United States men's basketball team is grouped with Iran, France and the Czech Republic in the preliminary round of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The field for the event was set Sunday after the Czechs downed Greece in their qualifying tournament. Team USA will tip things off July 25, the second day of action in Japan.

Team USA Preliminary Round Schedule

• vs. France on July 25 at 8 a.m. ET

• vs. Iran on July 28 at 12:40 a.m. ET

• vs. Czech Republic on July 31 at 8 a.m. ET

The top two teams in each of the three groups and the two-best third-place finishers move on to the quarterfinals.

At least in the group stage, France figures to be the stiffest competition for Team USA, with Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum and Frank Ntilikina representing Les Bleus. The French sit seventh in FIBA's men's ranking.

Anything short of a gold medal will be considered a disappointment for the United States. Since the Dream Team in 1992 signaled the debut of NBA players in the Olympics, Team USA has won gold in six of seven Olympics.

A bronze-medal finish in 2004 was such a disaster it led to major changes at USA Basketball.

As he enters his first Summer Games in charge, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn't have what you'd consider the optimal roster. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry are among the most notable absences.

Still, talent shouldn't be an issue for Team USA. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum will headline the squad in Tokyo.

Prior to the Olympics, the team will hold a training camp from July 6-18 in Las Vegas. As part of the camp, the U.S. will compete in five exhibitions, the first of which is July 10 against Nigeria.

USA Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo said Wednesday it is unlikely Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will ever play in the Olympics again.

Colangelo made the declaration on ESPN's Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin, saying:

"You know, Father Time takes its toll. ... If you're a human being, your body is built to go so long depending on what your sport is, and then it's a downhill situation. LeBron made choices these last couple of Olympics not to participate because he's got a lot of things going on in his life. So he put in his time, he made a contribution that is appreciated, but I think his time is over."

After opting out of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the 36-year-old James once again decided against taking part in the Olympics this summer in Tokyo.

Given that LeBron will be 39 years of age by the time the 2024 Summer Games are played in Paris, it is fair to assume he will no longer want to commit to Olympic basketball in the interest of resting his body after the grind of the NBA season.

The last time James opted out of the Olympics in 2016, it came on the heels of him playing in the NBA Finals for the sixth consecutive season. He would go on to appear in each of the next two Finals, making it eight in a row overall.

This time around, James is coming off the shortest offseason in the history of the four major North American sports.

The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals, which didn't end until October because of the COVID-19 pandemic. L.A. was back playing in December, giving it an offseason of just 71 days.

Many star players, including James, have missed time with injury this season, and that has been especially true during the playoffs. If the shortened offseason has something to do with it, it is understandable why LeBron has chosen rest.

Even if LeBron never plays another game at the Olympics for Team USA, he has already accomplished plenty, winning two gold medals and one bronze.

James was part of the team that disappointingly won bronze in Athens in 2004, but he spearheaded the United States' rise back to the top, winning gold in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

While James may still be the best basketball player in the world, Team USA isn't short on talent even with him sitting out the 2021 Olympics.

Among the biggest stars committed to representing the U.S. in Tokyo are Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.

If the Americans do take gold again in Tokyo, it will mark the fourth consecutive Olympics gold for the United States men's national team.

ESPN analyst Jalen Rose apologized for comments he made about Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love being part of Team USA for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Last Thursday on Jalen & Jacoby, Rose said, "Kevin Love is on the team because of tokenism. Don't be scared to make an all-Black team representing the United States of America."

Rose addressed those comments in an Instagram video on Monday.

"But you know why I'm apologizing right now? To the game," he said (via Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports). "Because I’m what the game made me. I was raised by the all-time greats, and you know what I would never want to do? Disappoint [Rose’s late mother] Jeanie Rose or disappoint the all-time greats that raised me."

USA Basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo told reporters that Love's experience in the Olympics—he was on the 2012 squad that won gold in London—provided an edge for him over New York Knicks star Julius Randle. Colangelo went on to say the five-time All-Star brings other assets to the table:

Love is by far the most questionable member of the 12-man roster. He has made just 103 appearances for the Cavs over the past three seasons, and the 2020-21 campaign was the worst of his career. The 6'8" forward averaged 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from beyond the arc.

As Rose said on Jalen & Jacoby, Love wasn't even the best player on a 22-win Cavs team, a title that would probably go to Collin Sexton.

For those who questioned Love's inclusion, Colangelo's explanation may not suffice.

Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant reportedly played a significant role in filling out the men's USA basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics. 

Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, two of the squad's most prominent members were instrumental in recruiting players. 

"When we talk to players about committing to the team, one of the things they always want to know is who else is committed," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told Windhorst. "Lillard was one of the first and it was crucial."

Lillard and Durant were two of the first players who committed to play for Team USA in the upcoming Olympics. 

This will mark Gregg Popovich's first Olympics as head coach of USA Basketball. 

According to Windhorst, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal and Jerami Grant were among the players who made the final Team USA roster whom Lillard and Durant had a hand in recruiting. 

Windhorst noted that Colangelo, who has been director of USA Basketball since 2005, has a long history with both superstars.

Durant began his career with the national team in 2010 for the FIBA World Championship. He led the U.S. to gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. The 11-time All-Star has averaged 19.1 points with a 53.1 field-goal percentage and 5.4 rebounds per game in 45 appearances for USA Basketball. 

"He's had a lot of great success with USA Basketball, and I think playing in Tokyo was something he really wanted," Colangelo told Windhorst about Durant's commitment. 

Lillard has never been part of the national team in his career. He was one of the final cuts in 2014 before the FIBA World Cup in part because the team decided to go with three traditional centers in DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond and Mason Plumlee.

Prior to the 2016 Olympics, Lillard withdrew from consideration for the team in order to rest a foot injury he dealt with during the previous NBA season.  

Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards isn't headed to the Tokyo Olympics, but he'll be part of Team USA's preparations for the trip.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Edwards, who finished as runner-up to LaMelo Ball for the league's Rookie of the Year award, will play on the USA Basketball Select team.

That team will join Team USA for practices and scrimmages at their training camp in Las Vegas next month.

The national team finalized its roster Wednesday, with Kevin Durant and Draymond Green returning to the group that won a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Bam Adebayo and Jayson Tatum will be first-time Olympians, and 2012 gold medalist Kevin Love will join the group.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, in his first run with USA Basketball, will help coach the USA Select team. He was discussing the opportunity with San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich—who will lead the Olympic team for the first time—for several months.

"I really just want to be a part of the program," Spoelstra said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. "I'm always pushing myself to get better in the offseasons; I go visit people and all that stuff. This is going to be a basketball immersion. I mean, the dinners, the team meetings ... for where I am right now in my career, I think this is the perfect thing for a summer of development."

Spoelstra will not travel to Tokyo with Popovich and assistant coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), Jay Wright (Villanova) and Lloyd Pierce (formerly of the Atlanta Hawks).

Edwards appeared in all 72 games this season for the Timberwolves, who finished 23-49. The Georgia product averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 32.1 minutes per game.

His teammates on the USA Select roster will be finalized "in the coming days," according to Reynolds. Team USA starts training camp in Las Vegas on July 4.

James Harden will no longer join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics this summer, reversing his decision two days after informing the national team he would accept an invitation to play.

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo confirmed Harden would not participate in activities this summer. Per Windhorst, the Brooklyn Nets star will work on rehabilitating a hamstring injury that hampered his play late in the season and limited his performance in the playoffs:

The Nets were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Milwaukee Bucks after seven games. 

The 31-year-old previously won gold medals with Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. He withdrew from the 2016 team ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but did not give a specific reason why at the time. 

"This decision was a painstaking one that I did not take lightly," Harden said in 2016. "As a member of the 2012 London Olympic Gold Medal Team, and as Team Captain for the 2014 FIBA Gold Medal Team, it goes without saying that USA Basketball has provided me with some of the most meaningful personal and professional accomplishments of my life. I have been extremely blessed to wear the 'red, white, and blue' and to compete at the highest international level with the greatest players representing the greatest country in the world. I sincerely hope I'll earn an opportunity to represent Team USA again in the future."

It's a bit easier to contextualize why Harden is unavailable this year despite his previously stated desire to return to Team USA.

The Nets guard missed 18 consecutive games with a strained hamstring toward the end of the regular season, then reaggravated the ailment in Game 1 against the Bucks. After playing at least 27 minutes per night in all five games of a first-round matchup with the Boston Celtics, Harden was forced back to the sidelines against the Bucks. He willed himself back onto the floor for Games 5, 6 and 7 but hardly looked like himself, combining for 43 points over the three contests while shooting 11-of-36 from the floor.

Now he'll have a full offseason to recover while Team USA presses on without one of the nation's top scorers. 

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine will play for Team USA at this summer's Tokyo Olympics, his agent Nima Namakian told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

He joins a star-studded roster that reportedly also includes Bam Adebayo, Jerami Grant, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Kevin Love.

If that roster stays intact, LaVine would be the final addition to the 12-man group. 

That may not be the final roster, however, with ESPN reporting on Tuesday that "Paul George and, if healthy, Kawhi Leonard have given some indication to USA Basketball in recent weeks that they would like to play on the Olympic team, though it remains unknown whether they have made a final decision."

But for now, the group of 12 is set. There's little doubt that the United States will be able to score at will—players like Durant, Lillard, Beal and Booker are some of the most talented scorers in the league. The U.S. will likely play small, with Adebayo the only true center and Green able to fill the role in a small-ball group. 

As for LaVine, he earned his spot. The 26-year-old was fantastic in the 2020-21 season, averaging career highs in points (27.4 PPG), assists (4.9 APG), rebounds (5.0 RPG), field-goal percentage (50.7 percent), three-point percentage (41.9 percent) and free-throw percentage (84.9 percent). 

Those numbers don't appear to be outliers, either—in his past three seasons he's steadily improved in most of those categories. LaVine has hit his prime and established himself as one of the game's better three-level scorers. 

The reward? His first All-Star appearance this past season and now a chance to represent the United States at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Not a bad year for LaVine, in other words.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is the latest NBA star who will reportedly represent the United States at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Holiday has given Team USA his commitment for the Summer Games.

The 12-man Olympic roster is close to being set. Prior to Tuesday, eight players were either confirmed participants or reportedly set to commit to the team. 

Kevin Love's agent, Jeff Schwartz, told Wojnarowski on Tuesday that the Cleveland Cavaliers star is interested in playing for Team USA. 

Holiday will become the 10th member of the team. Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported USA Basketball hopes to have the entire squad set and announced by the end of this week. 

This will mark the first Olympic appearance for Holiday, though he has some familiarity with the process. His wife, Lauren Holiday, won two gold medals with the United States women's soccer team in 2008 and 2012. 

Holiday has helped lead the Bucks into the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks. The 31-year-old averaged 17.7 points on 50.3 percent shooting, 6.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game during the regular season.