Rockets' James Harden, Russell Westbrook Want to Play in 2020 Tokyo Olympics
James Harden and Russell Westbrook are planning to be teammates next summer on the 2020 Summer Olympics squad.
"It would be an honor," Harden told reporters of playing for Team USA.
Westbrook said he would "love to" play for the U.S. next year as the team looks to recover from this summer's disappointing outing at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Harden was part of Team USA's gold medal-winning squads at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2014 World Cup. Westbrook won gold at the 2012 Olympics and 2010 World Cup. Both players sat out the 2016 Olympics.
“Of course that’s one of my goals to represent the USA and represent this beautiful country," Harden told reporters at Rockets media day last month.
The United States has won the last three gold medals at the Summer Olympics, coming together for the 2008 Redeem Team and then sweeping their way through 2012 and 2016 Games. Their seventh-place finish at this year's World Cup came as a result of nearly every elite player pulling his name from contention. Kemba Walker and Khris Middleton were the only two All-Stars on the roster.
Harden and Westbrook would instantly raise the profile of what's expected to be a more talented team next summer.
Of course, it remains to be seen whether either player will be able to participate. Westbrook spent most of the summer recovering from surgeries and has a history of knee problems. Harden is 30 and has played a ton of basketball for a Rockets team that's made some deep runs into the playoffs. With both players stating their goal is to win a championship in Houston, it's possible they could choose to sit out if the 2019-20 season does not go as planned.
