Team USA finalizes star-laden lineup for Tokyo Olympics

CGTN

text

Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets agrees to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

USA Basketball is getting close to finalizing Team USA's lineup for the Tokyo Olympics, as more players, specifically Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls and Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons, agree to join the national team, according to ESPN.

"Life is about relationships, and we've got relationships with all these players over the years," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. "It's been a process, and it hasn't been easy."

So far, Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards have all pledged to join Team USA.

Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Krhsi Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Devin Booker of the Phoenixs Suns has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards has agreed to join Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. /CFP

Durant and Love joined hands in the Summer Olympics in London in 2012 and won the gold medal. In 2016, Durant and Green helped Team USA win gold again in Rio de Janeiro.

If Team USA win gold in Tokyo this time, Durant will match Carmelo Anthony to become the second NBA player with three Olympic gold medals under his name.

"Versatility and athleticism are trademarks of this group. Our staff feels this will be a very competitive group, and we'll have shooting that we've been lacking. We're going to go into camp feeling confident we're going to perform well," said Colangelo.

Team USA's first game in Tokyo will be on July 25 against France, which defeated them in the quarterfinal game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China in 2019. Three of the players on the list, Booker, Middleton and Holiday, are still playing in the NBA Conference Finals with their teams. The three will go to Japan in private planes immediately afterward, according to Colangelo.