LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid, three of the NBA’s biggest stars, are on the list of 41 players preselected to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics basketball tournament. This list, announced on Tuesday evening January 23 by press release, will then be reduced to 12 names. Team USA will aim for a fifth successive Olympic gold medal (July 26-August 11) this summer.
Among the preselected, 23 Olympic gold medalists, including LeBron James, who became, in November 2023, the first player to cross the historic threshold of 39,000 points scored in the NBA, ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. The NBA’s leading scorer, four-time champion of the North American league, will look to win gold for a third time in Paris, at age 39.
He could count on additional reinforcement, that of the pivot of the Philadelphia Sixers, Joel Embiid, capable of scoring 70 points in one day. The most valuable player (MVP) of the last NBA season had the choice between three selections: Cameroon, France and the United States. He finally opted, at the beginning of October 2023, for the American selection.
Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving…
The essential Stephen Curry could also be there. The superstar leader of the Golden State Warriors has led his team to victory in the American championship four times. His speed and skill make him, at 35, one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
This new Dream Team – the absolute reference remaining the first, that of the Barcelona Games in 1992 – will be led by the coach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, titled nine times in the NBA: five times as a player with the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs then four times as coach of the Warriors.
Among the rain of NBA stars preselected for the Paris Games, we include Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), James Harden (LA Clippers), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)…
As part of their preparation for the Games, the United States will face Canada in Las Vegas on July 10, then South Sudan and Germany in London on July 20 and 22.
The list of 41 preselected players:
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Jalen Brunson (NY Knicks), Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Alex Caruso (Chicago Bulls), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (LA Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Wolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia Sixers), De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings), Paul George (LA Clippers), Aaron Gordon (Denver Nuggets), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), James Harden (LA Clippers), Josh Hart (NY Knicks), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Chet Holmgren (OKC Thunder), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), LeBron James (LA Lakers), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers), Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chris Paul (Golden State Warriors), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Austin Reaves (LA Lakers), Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks).
