Stephen Curry, LeBron James Headline US Men's Basketball National Team Roster
USA Basketball announced its 35-player roster for the 2018-20 international basketball schedule on Friday, with Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder's reigning MVP Russell Westbrook among the notable inclusions.
The United States national team will have a three-day minicamp in Las Vegas starting July 25, at which point head coach Gregg Popovich can begin evaluating the roster he'll use for the 2019 FIBA World Cup and 2020 Summer Olympics.
Here's the full list of 35 players headed to the minicamp:
- Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks
- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
- Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Mike Conley Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
- DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
- DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
- Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
- Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
- Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
- Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons
- James Harden, Houston Rockets
- Tobias Harris, Los Angeles Clippers
- Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics
- Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
- LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
- DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
- Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
- C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
- Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
- Chris Paul, Houston Rockets
- Isaiah Thomas, Los Angeles Lakers
- Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
- Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
- Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
- John Wall, Washington Wizards
- Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Adding Gordon Hayward, DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas to the national team pool indicates how far ahead USA Basketball is looking.
Hayward has played only one game this season after fracturing his ankle in the Boston Celtics' season-opener. Cousins is recovering from a ruptured Achilles, which casts a major cloud over his future. A hip injury has dogged Thomas all year, and he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in March.
None of those three can contribute to the national team this summer, but that's likely to change down the line.
In the press release announcing the player pool, USA Basketball said "it is expected" the World Cup and Olympic rosters will be selected from the current 35-man pool. The fact USA Basketball wasn't definitive on the matter could open the door for a player not picked to represent Team USA.
Donovan Mitchell is one of the more obvious omissions, and Markelle Fultz's stock could rise sharply in 2018-19, assuming he doesn't have to deal with his nagging shoulder injury in his second season. The same could happen for Jayson Tatum after he has exceeded expectations as a rookie.
The United States still needs to qualify for the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympics but should have little trouble doing so. The U.S. has won its first four games of World Cup qualifying and hasn't missed an Olympics since 1980, when the entire country boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow.
