Team USA Basketball Announced

Ah yes, the Olympics are right around the corner. There's still a lot of pride to take into pulling on a sweater for your country and play the greatest games in the world against the greatest athletes in the world. All of this going on with national pride on the line on the worlds grandest stage. To represent your country at these games has got to be one of the greatest thrills that any athlete can have in their athletic careers. Even if you don't come away with a medal (which is the goal of every country from the outset of the games), still being able to play for your home country has to come with a lot of pride. You can add twelve names to that list, as Team USA has announced their twelve man roster for the Olympics.

Here is the full twelve man roster for Team USA at the summer games:
Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks/Syracuse)
Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors/North Carolina)
Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls/Marquette)
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings/Kentucky)
DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors/USC)
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder/Texas)
Paul George (Indiana Pacers/Fresno State)
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors/Michigan State)
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers/Duke)
DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers/Texas A&M)
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors/Villanova)
Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors/Washington State).

There were a few notable names that were left off this list.Cleveland’s LeBron James, Golden State’s Steph Curry, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Houston’s James Harden and San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard all decided to skip out on the Olympics this year. Nothing wrong with that. Throwing the Olympics into the mix this year, it makes the offseason even less for certain NBA Stars. Still, even without the guys listed here, the U.S. will again be favorites to win a third consecutive Olympic gold medal.

The roster that has been assembled for the Olympic games is still a very formidable force to deal with in Rio this summer. Think about it, Team USA has won three straight gold medals at the summer games, with a shot at a 4th this year. Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski does have a loaded roster to work with. There are nine players on this team that played in the NBA All Star game this past January. Those nine guys are Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins,  DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Draymond Green, Kyle Lowry and Klay Thompson. Oh yeah and Kyrie Irving, who was named MVP of the 2014 World Cup after helping lead the Americans to gold, recently helped Cleveland capture the 2016 NBA championship. Plus throw in the fact that Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant won gold in 2012 with USA, and five players who have been members of USA World Cup gold medalist teams; Cousins (2014), DeRozan (2014), Durant (2010), Irving (2014) and Thompson (2014).

Coming into the Olympics, Team USA have some big shoes to fill. In every Olympics that USA basketball has participated in, which is up to 17 Olympics they have competed in, they have medaled in ever one of them. Those medals included 14 gold medals, one silver and two bronze. Team USA is a very impressive 130-5 (.963 winning percentage) all-time in Olympic action, and since NBA players began representing the United States in 1992, the USA is 45-3 in six Olympics, capturing five gold medals and one bronze medal.

The Olympic games will be taking place in Rio this summer, with the games going from August 5th  through August 21st!