These Phoenix Suns players will represent USA in 2024 Olympics

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — When Team USA takes the court for the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer, two Phoenix Suns players will try to help the team go for gold.

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant were formally selected be on the finalized Team USA basketball roster.

Booker, who has played in Phoenix since being drafted in 2015, is a four-time All-Star, and the 16-time All-Star Durant brings veteran experience that’s needed to bring back a gold medal.

The rest of Team USA’s roster includes Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. The roster has a combined 200,000 NBA points, 84 All-Star Game selections and 10 Olympic gold medals.

“You want obviously talented individuals, but you want players who can blend and can fit and can play certain roles that you need,” USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill said Wednesday. “But I think defense was certainly a priority and having guys that were capable of locking down, guarding multiple sets within a possession.”

The group has seven players with gold medals; Durant has three, James has two, while Adebayo, Booker, Holiday, Tatum and Booker each have one. Combined, the 12 players had averages of 24.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, shooting 39% from 3-point range.

“Obviously, it’s a great honor to represent your country,” Adebayo said. “But for me, to be in that room as part of those 12 players, part of who they think are the 12 best players to represent the United States, it takes it to a different level.”

The Americans remain ranked No. 1 in the world by FIBA even after failing to medal in the two most recent World Cups — finishing seventh at China in 2019 and fourth at Manila last summer.

Hill led the task of assembling the roster, a process that took about 18 months, and the plan all along was to put together the team well in advance of training camp starting at Las Vegas in early July. Players were given their jerseys in visits by Hill or other USA Basketball officials in recent days, or in some cases got them at practice with their team.

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics kick off July 25.

AP reporter Tim Reynolds contributed to this story.

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