Chicago Bulls veteran forward DeMar DeRozan has managed to defy and elude Father Time, both in terms of his production and playstyle. Averaging 26.1 points and 4.9 assists per game this season, the 33-year-old continues to impress in Chicago, playing his best basketball since his prime days with the Toronto Raptors.
With that in mind, there's a significant chance that DeRozan is invited to Team USA training camp ahead of the 2024 Olympics.
If he is invited, DeRozan admits that “it'll be tough to say no,” according to The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds.
These comments are particularly interesting as, in 2021, DeRozan said he hadn't given much thought to playing for Team USA again.
Aside from his high-level of play over the past two seasons, DeRozan is a classy and heady veteran that Team USA men's basketball head coach Steve Kerr would love on his team.
While the NBA is full of skilled players and athletes from the ages of 19 to 42, Olympic competition is usually reserved for players in their prime or seasoned veterans.
On top of that, DeRozan is already a gold-medalist, having won a gold medal in the 2016 Olympic Tournament while playing in the second unit.
The upcoming Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris, are unlikely to come with the human rights and safety concerns that were seen in the FIBA World Cup in Qatar, the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, or the Rio Olympics that DeRozan took part in back in 2016.
Due to an ever-growing pool of star talent, there's no guarantee DeRozan will play a major role for Team USA. Still, it's good to know that the U.S. will be well-represented in Paris.
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