Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is returning to the Olympics. The USA Basketball announced the player pool for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday, with the list of 41 names being headlined by James, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant.
James, who has two gold medals with Team USA, hasn’t played at the Olympics since the London Games in 2012. Curry is looking to play at his first Olympics, while Durant is looking for his fourth consecutive gold medal. Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who previously snubbed France and committed to playing for Team USA, is also on the list.
The rest of the player pool is a mix of established veterans and young superstars. The veterans include Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks), and Paul George (Los Angeles Clipper), while young talent is represented by Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) and Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder).
With a star-studded list, Team USA is looking to send a statement to the rest of the world after an underwhelming performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Team USA sent a team without many big names at the World Cup but returned empty-handed, finishing seventh.
It is important to note that the player pool is just a provisional list that will be subject to changes as the Paris Olympics approaches. However, all the players that are currently on it have expressed the desire to represent the United States in the summer.
