Three former Wildcats will represent Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics

Zack Geogheganby:Zack Geoghegan04/17/24

ZGeogheganKSR

A trio of former Kentucky Wildcats will travel overseas this summer to represent the United States of America.

On Wednesday morning, USA Basketball officially announced the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team roster, which will travel to the 2024 Paris Olympics that begin in July. Among the 12 players named, one-time ‘Cats Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), and Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) all cracked the list.

All three have won gold medals in the past — Adebayo and Booker in 2020 and Davis in 2012. The Paris Olympics are set for July 26-August 11. Training camp begins on July 6 in Las Vegas. Team USA landed in Group C and will begin play on July 28 against Serbia.

All three former Kentucky players on the Team USA roster are having incredible seasons for their respective NBA teams. They also have upcoming playoff runs that will cut into their offseason, but the chance to once again represent their country was too much for them to turn down.

Starting with Adebayo, he made his second straight All-Star Game this season and the third of his career. He’s averaging 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 34 minutes per outing for Miami. The 6-foot-9 center is shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 75.5 percent from the line across 71 games played. Adebayo was cut from Team USA’s 2019 World Cup team but responded by making the 2020 Olympic team and ultimately winning gold.

As for Booker, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard made his fourth career All-Star Game this season for the Suns while averaging 27.1 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in 36 minutes per contest. He’s shooting 49.2 percent overall, 36.4 percent from deep, and 88.6 percent from the stripe. Booker trained for Team USA’s 2016 Olympic team before winning gold alongside Adebayo in 2020.

Finally, Davis is the veteran of the trio. Now 31 years old, the 6-foot-10 center is having one of his best seasons yet. He’s averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 35.5 minutes per game. Davis, who made his ninth All-Star Game, has played in 76 games this season — a career-high — while shooting 55.6 percent overall, 27.1 percent from long range, and 81.6 percent from the line. As a rookie in 2012, he was a reserve on Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad.

Team USA 2024 Paris Olympics roster

  • Bam Adebayo (MIA)
  • Devin Booker (PHX)
  • Stephen Curry (GSW)
  • Anthony Davis (LAL)
  • Kevin Durant (PHX)
  • Anthony Edwards (MIN)
  • Joel Embiid (PHI)
  • Tyrese Haliburton (IND)
  • Jrue Holiday (BOS)
  • LeBron James (LAL)
  • Kawhi Leonard (LAC)
  • Jayson Tatum (BOS)

Discuss This Article

Comments have moved.

Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.

KSBoard

2024-04-29