Warriors' Draymond Green Says He'd Like to Play for Team USA in 2020 Olympics
Team USA's failure at the 2019 FIBA World Cup will likely lead to a more talented U.S. roster for the 2020 Olympics.
Count Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green among those who want to suit up.
"I do hope to play. And I think a lot of guys will want to play," he said on CNBC (h/t Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press). Green said he thinks a number of star players dropped out of this year's World Cup in part because China was so far away and those who did play don't have much time until training camp starts.
Star players dropping out of competition before the World Cup began was a common theme for the Americans. Marquee names such as James Harden, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard and Kyle Lowry were among those who didn't play for the Red, White and Blue.
The result was a disjointed group of playmakers who couldn't deliver on elevated expectations.
The United States lost to France on Wednesday and Serbia on Thursday and now finds itself in Saturday's seventh-place game against Poland.
Green is familiar with what it takes to succeed while playing for his country. The Michigan native was a member of the 2016 team that won the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and adds versatility to any roster because he can defend forwards or battle with bigs in small-ball looks.
While the 6'7", 240-pound Green won't be asked to carry the scoring load, he can defend the opponent's best frontcourt player and do a little bit of everything. The 29-year-old averaged 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.9 steals a night in the 2016 Games.
The United States has been dominant when it comes to Olympic play. It has won the last three gold medals and six of the last seven, with only a bronze medal in 2004 being the exception. If players such as Green and some of the stars who were not on the World Cup roster participate in 2020, that streak can continue.
