The 44 finalists to join the U.S. men's basketball team at the Tokyo Olympics this summer were announced Sunday night.
Unsurprisingly, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are in the running. Other notable names are Houston Rockets All-Star duo James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard and reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.
Marc Stein ✔@TheSteinLineStephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson -- they're all on the @usabasketball 44-man preliminary roster for the Tokyo Olympics just officially announced ...
Marc Stein ✔@TheSteinLineAs @usabasketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told @NYTSports last month, this preliminary roster features virtually every top American name available -- with the 12 players who will ultimately go Tokyo to be selected and announced in June before the NBA playoffs are complete
Durant has been out since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals with a ruptured Achilles. The Golden State Warriors ultimately lost to a Toronto Raptors side led by Leonard before Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers and KD went to the Brooklyn Nets last summer.
However, New Orleans Pelicans rookie No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, Memphis Grizzlies rookie second overall pick Ja Morant and Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young were absent from the list.
Twenty-nine of the 44 finalists have combined for 31 Olympic or FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medals.
The final 12-player roster will be announced at a later date.
The lead-up to the 2019 FIBA World Cup proved how much can change from the preliminary roster to the final roster. Harden, Lillard, Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Tobias Harris, Kevin Love, CJ McCollum and JJ Redick were among stars to withdraw their names from consideration for the FIBA World Cup.
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