Part of the overwhelming storyline that followed the United States men's national team at the 2019 FIBA World Cup was the never-ending rejections from American stars not participating in the international competition. Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was among the “no”s, but on Sunday at the team's annual media day, he expressed an interest to play in the U.S.'s 2020 Summer Olympics bid in Tokyo, Japan.

Per ClutchPoints' Tomer Azarly on Twitter:

“Right now, I do want to play [for Team USA]. But right now, it's getting the Clippers to the NBA Finals.”

Gregg Popovich, coaching the Americans for the first time the past summer, and the U.S. were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in China by the dangerous French team, led by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. After losing another consolation match, the Americans eventually salvaged a seventh-place finish, still good to automatically qualify for next summer's global tournament in the biggest competition for basketball, the Olympics.

Leonard has previously never competed at the international level for the U.S. Previously, the 28-year-old was among the “Select Team” to play exhibition, tune-up matches with the 2012 men's national team, but after a full year-plus of recovery after the injury debacle with the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard could be a great choice by Team USA to rebound next summer in Tokyo following 2019's embarrassment.

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Kawhi's teammate Paul George, acquired by the Clippers in the offseason from the Oklahoma City Thunder, noticeably had an unfortunate incident playing for Team USA, critically fracturing his right leg. It took nearly a complete season for the then–Indiana Pacers wing to heal, as George was hurt during an exhibition in 2014 ahead of that year's World Cup.

It would be a remarkable comeback and sight to behold should Leonard and George both compete for the U.S. next summer in Japan.