USA Basketball has finalized the men's roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics, and the star-studded squad is sure to draw comparisons to some of the most famous teams that have ever taken the court for the United States.
The 12-player roster, which includes several big-name NBA players, was officially named on Wednesday:
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Bam Adebayo, F/C (Miami Heat)
Devin Booker, G (Phoenix Suns)
Stephen Curry, G (Golden State Warriors)
Anthony Davis, F/C (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kevin Durant, F (Phoenix Suns)
Anthony Edwards, G (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Joel Embiid, C (Philadelphia 76ers)
Tyrese Haliburton, G (Indiana Pacers)
Jrue Holiday, G (Boston Celtics)
LeBron James, F (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kawhi Leonard, F (Los Angeles Clippers)
Jayson Tatum, F (Boston Celtics)
Of all the players on the team, Kevin Durant and LeBron James have the most Olympic experience. Over the course of three Olympic appearances (2012, 2016, 2020), Durant became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. men. James has also played in three Olympics (2004, 2008, 2012) but has not appeared for Team USA since 2012.
Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Bam Adebayo all return from the gold-medal winning team of the last Olympics. Anthony Davis also has Olympic experience but, like his NBA teammate James, hasn't played since 2012.
What really makes this roster stand out though are the new names on Team USA, especially Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid. Curry, now 36, has yet to appear at the Olympics despite a legendary 15-year career in the NBA. Embiid, who was leading the NBA in scoring this season before a knee injury, will likewise play in his first Olympics after choosing to represent the U.S. in international competition over France and Cameroon.
Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton — two of the NBA's rising young stars — will also make their Olympic debuts in Paris, as will veteran forward Kawhi Leonard.
NBA players became eligible to play in the Olympics starting in 1992, which led to the formation of the original "Dream Team" — still considered the greatest squad to suit up for the United States. Since then, the U.S. men have won gold at every Olympics with the exception of the 2004 Athens Games when they were surprisingly dethroned by Argentina. In response to that bronze-medal performance, a load of NBA stars joined forces for the 2008 "Redeem Team" that reclaimed the country's place atop the basketball world.
This 2024 team features four players — James (4), Curry (2), Durant (1) and Embiid (1) — who have combined to win eight NBA MVP awards. Eleven of the 12 players were selected as All-Stars this season, and the other player, Holiday, was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team last season.
Its arguably the most stacked roster that the U.S. men have had in years. Where it ultimately ranks among USA Basketball's greatest Olympic teams remains to be seen, but expectations will be high. Any result other than a fifth straight gold medal will be seen as a disappointment.
Although the U.S. will be the odds-on favorite in Paris, a gold medal is not a foregone conclusion. International squads have continued to get better and better with each Olympic cycle, and there are expected to be several NBA superstars playing on other teams at these Games.
Team USA's first game of the tournament will come against Serbia, which is likely to have leading MVP candidate Nikola Jokic on its roster. France, which beat the U.S. in a group-stage game at the last Olympics, should be dangerous once again thanks to an elite defensive frontcourt pairing of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, currently in the midst of an MVP-caliber season where he took the Oklahoma City Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, is expected to lead Canada's up-and-coming team. And the Olympic tournament is also likely to include either Luka Doncic (Slovenia) or Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece).
At last year's FIBA World Cup, the U.S. finished fourth behind Germany, Serbia and Canada. Edwards and Haliburton were on that World Cup roster, but the top American stars largely opted out of participating.
With the Olympics still three months away, it's worth noting that the U.S. roster could still change if injuries or deep playoff runs cause players to drop out between now and then.
For the Paris Games, the U.S. men's team will be led by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Kerr, who has won four NBA titles with the Warriors, served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich at the last Olympics.