The Los Angeles Clippers were well represented when USA Basketball announced its 2024 USA Men's National Team player pool featuring 41 NBA players. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden were all named to the player pool and selected by USA Basketball Men's National Team managing director Grant Hill.
For Paul George and James Harden, this wouldn't be their first Olympic rodeo if they are selected.
George was a member of the 2016 Men's National Team that won the Gold Medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Paul George was Team USA's fourth leading scorer, fifth leading rebounder, and the leader in steals. Across the eight game-tournament, George averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 46 percent shooting from the field.
“It's always an honor to still be in consideration to represent USA,” Paul George said after being named to the player pool. “I think for all of us, we cherish and embrace that and have an opportunity to do that with some of the best in the world. Can never pass that up.”
"It's always an honor to still be in consideration to represent USA. I think for all of us, we cherish and embrace that and have an opportunity to do that with some of the best in the world. Can never pass that up."
Paul George on being a Team USA finalist.
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 24, 2024
George sang a bit of a different tune than he was on media day, where he said he'd have to see how the season goes before he decides on whether he'd want to go.
“Yes and no, it all depends on how well we do and how far we go this season,” Paul George said back on Clippers Media Day back in September. “That would play a lot into my decision on going and playing over in France. I would love to. I know LeBron is in the forefront of creating a hell of a roster. But that's first and foremost on how my body is, how my health is, to finish the season.”
James Harden joined Team USA after his Sixth Man of the Year campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder where he averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He was the second youngest player behind only 19-year old Anthony Davis on the 2012 Men's National Team that won the Gold Medal in London, England.
Harden also participated in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. His team-high 14.2 points per game led Team USA to the Gold in that tournament as well.
“That's always a blessing, man, just to be a part of that, the program,” James Harden told ClutchPoints exclusively of being named a finalist. “That's been going on way before I started playing in the NBA. I did have an opportunity a few times to be a part of some gold medalist teams. It's a blessing, I feel like, if I get that opportunity to be a part of it.”
Kawhi Leonard has not had a chance to suit up for Team USA in the Olympics or in the FIBA World Cup. He was selected to be a member of the 2012 USA Basketball Select Team, and ultimately withdrew from consideration from the 2014 FIBA World Cup roster after back-to-back NBA Finals runs. He was named a finalist for the Olympic team in 2016, 2020, and now in 2024.
Leonard expressed interest in playing for Team USA, and even said he was close to playing with this past summer's team that finished in fourth place behind Gold Medalist Germany, Silver Medalist Serbia, and Bronze Medalist Canada.
“I wanted to play this [past] summer, but I had other obligations and I would have had to leave early, so I wasn't able to go,” Kawhi Leonard said on Clippers media day. “We'll see what happens.”
Leonard said he appreciated seeing that he was named a finalist for the 2024 Olympic team.
“It's great,” Leonard said this past week. “Just them seeing my hard work, seeing I've been progressing and I'm happy to be a finalist.”
“It's great. Just them seeing my hard work, seeing I've been progressing and I'm happy to be a finalist.”
Kawhi Leonard on being named a finalist for Team USA.
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 24, 2024
Should any Clippers be named to the final roster ahead of this Summer's Olympic Games in Paris, France, they'll be coached by their NBA head coach in Tyronn Lue, who is an assistant coach on Steve Kerr's National Team coaching staff.
“It means a lot,” Lue said of Leonard, George, and Harden's inclusion in the player pool. “Anytime you get a chance to represent your country and have an opportunity to play on the USA team, it means a lot. And just for the franchise, just everything we're doing to try to make sure we're going the right direction, making sure we're setting the right culture, the right examples. And so having those three guys being finalists means a lot to this organization, to them as well.”
USA Basketball Men's National Team managing director Grant Hill spoke with ClutchPoints after the announcement of the player pool and explained the decision to include three members of the Los Angeles Clippers in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden.
“I think, obviously, Paul George has been a part of the program, as has [James] Harden,” Grant Hill told ClutchPoints. “And Harden, he led the NBA in assists last year. He, since he's arrived in L.A., has really had that team moving in the right direction. And he's part of the legacy. He's part of that legacy of success. And then someone in Kawhi Leonard, who has not been a part of USA Basketball, but of course, we all know certainly what he's capable of. He's a two-way player who still can get it done on both sides of the ball.”
“And so it just so happened, yes, that the Clippers have three guys that are on this list. And so, we'll continue to just monitor, evaluate, and as we get into the playoffs, the early portion of the playoffs, we hope to have a decision. But all three of those guys are unique. They're special. And they all have a chance of being a part of this team this summer.”
During the interview, Grant Hill expressed a desire to select players who have had international basketball experience due to the significant differences from NBA to international play. He also, however, mentioned that the final roster could see players who are light on the international experience, but have participated in high-stakes playoff and NBA Finals games.
“I think you also will see some names of guys who may not have that FIBA experience, but have some real significant NBA playoff experience,” Hill said. “Players who have been in some big moments, been in some NBA Finals, and so have played those meaningful minutes when it really, really matters, when it really counts. I think there's value in that as well.”
It's ultimately going to be tough for Team USA to dwindle this team down from the 41 incredibly talented NBA players to the 12-man Team USA roster that'll head to Paris, France in July.
The Clippers are one of four teams to have at least three players on the player pool, with the others being the Boston Celtics (four), Miami Heat (four), and Los Angeles Lakers (three).
The full list of the 41-player pool includes: Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, De’Aaron Fox, Paul George, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., LeBron James, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Trae Young.
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