There are no surprises — did you think Kobe Bryant or LeBron James were going to be left off the team? — but now we know nine of the 12 players who will represent the United States in the London Olympic basketball tournament.
USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo laid it out for Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
Again, no surprises there. And Colangelo said there would be no additions to the team at this point.
So there are six players left — Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, James Harden, Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis — fighting for three spots. While Colangelo wouldn’t rule out Davis, the fact he sprained his ankle might cost him any real chance.
Because Team USA could use more height along the front line, one of those three places almost certainly will be Griffin’s. My guess is that Harden or Gordon will get a spot as a backup two, and Iguodala or Gay will get the other spot, but coach Mike Krzyzewski has options.
The entire team will be announced in a television special on NBA TV Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern (after just a couple days of practice). From there Team USA will keep practicing, readying for a game against the Dominican Republic — which is in Venezuela right now trying to qualify for the Games through FIBA’s second chance qualifier matching teams that just missed out in their regions — on Thursday, July 12.