The 2024 Summer Olympics will occur in Paris, France, from July 26 until August 11.
While Team USA men’s basketball team has had its share of struggles in particular international tournaments, it has won four straight gold medals at the Summer Olympics. The last time they didn’t was in 2004, when they left with a bronze medal.
The Athletic has reported some big-name stars who may be on the 2024 USA Olympic men’s basketball team.
Notable Names Said to be ‘Locks’ for USA Olympics Basketball
Which Superstar Players Are Joining the Roster?
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported six players that appear locked for the USA roster. Those six are Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday.
Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic also listed Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton as being under strong consideration for the roster. If all of these players committed, USA would be fielding a roster that shouldn’t be beaten.
That is 11 total players on what will be a 12-man roster. Of course, none of these stars are officially on the team. Will Embiid want to play or rest an injured meniscus that has kept him out for some time? Will James opt to play during the offseason when he is turning 40 in December? Will Tatum and Holiday want to continue to play if their Boston Celtics make a deep run in the postseason, as expected? And Durant, Curry, and Davis have had their share of injuries in recent years.
Adebayo, Booker, Durant, Holiday, and Tatum were on the 2020 gold medal-winning USA team. James last played in the Olympics in 2012.
Disappointing Showing in the 2023 FIBA World Basketball Cup
Team USA’s most recent showing in international play was a major disappointment as they didn’t even medal. They had a fourth-place finish in the 2023 FIBA World Basketball Cup, losing 113-111 to Germany in the Semifinals. Then, they fell in the third-place game to Canada in overtime, 127-118.
The result had many wondering if the rest of the world is continuing to gain ground on the USA when it comes to men’s basketball. As a result, many star players from the USA stated they wanted to play in the 2024 Summer Olympics to ensure they could get back on top of the world.
Of the names mentioned by The Athletic, Haliburton and Edwards were on that fourth-place FIBA World Basketball Cup team.
