Experience matters to the United States Basketball Federation when it comes to putting together a roster for the Tokyo Olympics.
The Americans formally revealed their roster on Monday, which will be the third-oldest American men’s basketball team in Olympic history. The 12-player roster includes five elements – Kevin Love, Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard and Draymond Green – over the age of 30.
In addition to those five players, the United States also has the commitment of Bam Adebayo, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Jerami Grant, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton and Jayson Tatum to play for the national team. Such commitments were announced in recent weeks; USA Basketball, seeking its fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal, practically made them official Monday with the announcement.
“USA Basketball selects players who represent our country in international competition with the skills, character, experience and desire to win,” stated retired General Martin Dempsey, USA Basketball Chairman of the Board.
Love is the oldest, at 32. Tatum, at 22, is the youngest. The average age – which USA Basketball estimates will be 28.2 by the end of the Tokyo Games if the roster remains unchanged – is only behind the 1996 team (29.4) and the original 1992 Dream Team (29.4). 0) as the oldest groups the United States has sent to an Olympics.
“I am happy with the selected players and we look forward to the opportunity to work with this wonderful group when they start training on July 6 in Las Vegas,” said the team’s coach Gregg Popovich. “I’m excited to represent the United States in our quest for a gold medal in Tokyo.”
The team will be formally nominated for the Tokyo Games by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee next month.