USA Basketbal is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad.
Among the group: 15 players who have already won Olympic gold medals for the U.S., including three-time gold winner LeBron James and two-time gold medalists Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.
The other past gold medalists under consideration for spots this summer are Harrison Barnes, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Draymond Green, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry and Russell Westbrook.
It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. Kawhi Leonard said this week he intends to play if healthy this summer, and Stephen Curry has long said he would like the chance to compete in the Olympics. Curry has won a gold medal in a Basketball World Cup, but never been on the Olympic stage.
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There will be no tryouts. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Thise decisions will be made by a selection committee and based in part on player availability and health. Training camp will start about July 1 while the NBA playoffs are ongoing, and the Olympics start July 23. That’s just one day from the potential date of Game 7 of the NBA Finals.