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SPORTS Wednesday 12 February 2020
LeBron James

among 44 U.S.

Olympic basketball

team finalists

By TIM REYNOLDS June, those decisions to be
AP Basketball Writer made by a selection com-
LeBron James is considering mittee — and to be based
a return to the Olympics. in part on player availability
James — a two-time gold and health.
medalist and three-time Training camp will start in
Olympian — was among early July, potentially as
44 players announced by little as two weeks after the
USA Basketball on Mon- end of the NBA Finals. The
day as finalists for the team Olympics start July 24.
that will play in the Tokyo "I want to play," said Port-
Games this summer. James land's Damian Lillard, one
played in 2004, 2008 and of the finalists.
2012, helping the U.S. win "I think, looking at my ca-
gold in his most recent two reer and all the stuff I want
appearances. to accomplish before it's
The pool includes 19 players over, winning a gold medal
who have won a total of 31 at the Olympics is on the
gold medals in either Olym- list.
pic or World Cup competi- I was happy to see my
tion for the Americans — name on there, obviously,
including nine players who and hopefully I'll be a part
captured the Olympic title of the team."
for USA Basketball in Rio de USA Basketball officials,
Janeiro four years ago. including Colangelo and
"I've always maintained Popovich of the San An-
that equity is important," tonio Spurs, have met
USA Basketball managing with players in a variety of
director Jerry Colangelo ways over the past several Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James goes to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during
told The Associated Press. weeks. the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020.
"And you earn equity by Some talks have been di- Associated Press
participating. rectly with players, some
So, we think they've earned with their agents, some with DeRozan, Brooklyn's Kevin four-time men's basketball Jaylen Brown, Utah's Mike
the right to be named to their NBA clubs, sometimes Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Olympian for the U.S. — Conley, the Clippers' Mon-
the overall roster for USA a combination thereof — Los Angeles Clippers' Paul joining Carmelo Anthony. trezl Harrell, Brooklyn's Joe
Basketball. It's pretty elite. and, Colangelo noted, George, Golden State's "I'm looking forward to Harris, Philadelphia's Tobi-
It's a tremendous pot and there were some instances Draymond Green and Klay coaching the U.S. Olym- as Harris, Boston's Gordon
the good news is they've all where players reached out Thompson, and Toronto's pic Team, and I'm excited Hayward, New Orleans'
said they want to play." directly to express interest. Kyle Lowry. about the potential and Brandon Ingram, the Lak-
James has played in 68 If they're on the list, that Back from the 2012 Olym- possibilities this team has," ers' Kyle Kuzma, the Clip-
games for the U.S. national means USA Basketball is pic champion roster: the Popovich said. pers' Kawhi Leonard, Lillard,
team and has said several convinced they want to Los Angeles Lakers' James The Olympics could be a Milwaukee's Brook Lopez,
times over the past year or play. and Anthony Davis, Durant, return to the court for play- the Lakers' JaVale McGee,
so that he is thinking about "I feel very good about the Houston's James Harden ers like Durant and Thomp- Milwaukee's Khris Middle-
another Olympics — after response," Colangelo said. and Russell Westbrook, son, who have missed the ton, Utah's Donovan Mitch-
sitting out the Rio Games Also included in the pool: Cleveland's Kevin Love and entirety of this NBA season ell, Indiana's Victor Oladi-
for a variety of reasons. Part 15 of the 16 players from Oklahoma City's Chris Paul. with injuries. po, Boston's Marcus Smart
of the interest in participat- the U.S. who are scheduled Back from the 2008 gold- Durant's recovery from and Jayson Tatum, Indi-
ing this summer is to have to play in Sunday's NBA medal squad: the Lakers' Achilles' surgery is at the ana's Myles Turner, Boston's
the chance to play for U.S. All-Star Game, and all 12 Dwight Howard. point where he's doing Kemba Walker and San An-
coach Gregg Popovich of members of the team that And those with World Cup some on-court work and tonio's Derrick White.
the San Antonio Spurs. represented the U.S. at last or world championship Thompson has said he "The reason we have this
"My name is in the hat. It's summer's Basketball World gold medals for USA Basket- would like to play if his sur- big roster is a lot of things
always predicated on how Cup in China — where the ball, but no Olympic gold gically repaired knee is up happen, a lot of variables,"
my body feels at the end of Americans managed only to this point: Golden State's to the challenge. Colangelo said. "And
the season," James said. "I a seventh-place finish after Stephen Curry, Cleveland's The 25 other players who what's to say what's going
am hoping to make a long roughly three dozen play- Andre Drummond and are finalists for this summer's to happen from an injury
playoff run and then where ers who were on the list at Denver's Mason Plumlee. team but do not yet have standpoint between now
my mind is and where my some point dropped out James and Paul won Olym- Olympic or World Cup gold and June.
family's head is. There are a along the way. pic gold at Beijing in 2008, for the U.S.: Miami's Bam We don't know. So we have
lot of factors." The nine players still in the and James was part of the Adebayo, San Antonio's the rest of the season to
There will be no tryouts. mix from the 2016 Olympic team that won bronze at LaMarcus Aldridge, Wash- monitor, to watch.
USA Basketball will pare team: Sacramento's Harri- Athens in 2004. ington's Bradley Beal, Phoe- But when we select our 12,
the list down to a 12-per- son Barnes, Miami's Jimmy If James joins this team, he nix's Devin Booker, Indiana's they will be 12 who are ab-
son Olympic team by early Butler, San Antonio's DeMar will become the second Malcolm Brogdon, Boston's solutely in with all fours."q