LeBron James heads 44-man preliminary squad of USA basketball team for Tokyo Olympics 2020

The USA national basketball team announced its 44-man preliminary squad for 2020 Olympics on Monday night (Tuesday IST). Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who helped the USA Olympic basketball team win two gold medals (2008 and 2012) is heading the list while injured stars Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are also included in the preliminary squad. The official 12-man roster for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team will be announced later. 

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Tokyo Olympics 2020: Team USA basketball 2020 preliminary squad announced

The 44-man initial squad astonishingly includes 19 players who have won a total of 31 gold medals in either Olympic or other international, multi-event competitions for USA. Nine players included captured the gold medal in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 15 of the 16 players are scheduled to play in the upcoming NBA All-Star game.

Team USA basketball 2020: Announced players

Bam Adebayo (Heat); LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs); Harrison Barnes  Kings); Bradley Beal (Wizards); Devin Booker (Suns); Malcolm Brogdon (Pacers); Jaylen Brown (Celtics); Jimmy Butler (Heat); Mike Conley (Jazz); Stephen Curry (Warriors); Anthony Davis (Lakers); DeMar DeRozan (Spurs); Andre Drummond (Cavaliers); Kevin Durant (Nets); Paul George (Clippers); Draymond Green (Warriors); James Harden (Rockets); Montrezl Harrell (Clippers); Joe Harris (Nets); Tobias Harris (76ers); Gordon Hayward (Celtics); Dwight Howard (Lakers); Brandon Ingram (Pelicans); Kyrie Irving (Nets); LeBron James (Lakers); Kyle Kuzma (Lakers); Kawhi Leonard (Clippers); Damian Lillard (Blazers); Brook Lopez (Bucks); Kevin Love (Cavaliers); Kyle Lowry (Raptors); JaVale McGee (Lakers); Khris Middleton (Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Jazz); Victor Oladipo (Pacers); Chris Paul (Thunder); Mason Plumlee ( Nuggets); Marcus Smart (Celtics); Jayson Tatum (Celtics); Klay Thompson (Warriors); Myles Turner (Pacers); Kemba Walker (Celtics); Russell Westbrook (Rockets); and Derrick White (Spurs).

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Team USA basketball 2020: Coaching staff

The USA National Team coaching staff is led by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright serving as assistant coaches.

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Team USA basketball 2020: LeBron James contemplating return at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

LeBron James has played in 68 games for the U.S. national team and has represented the team in 2004, 2008 and 2012 editions of the Olympics and also in 2006 FIBA Basketball World Cup. After sitting out the trip to Rio, LeBron James has stated multiple times that he is thinking about another Olympics.

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo stated to The Associated Press that the selection was made with equity in mind. Colangelo further added that there will no tryouts and the final squad will be announced by early June.

The training camp is expected to start in early July after the end of the NBA Finals. The 2020 Olympics is set to start on July 24 in Tokyo, Japan.  

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