Basketball
USA Basketball Gathers Olympic Team, Derrick White Replacing Kawhi Leonard
by privatebet.com - 2024/07/12
The United States is the most successful team in Olympic basketball history, and they’re on a quest to win another trophy. The 12-man roster has been unveiled ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris, with Derrick White serving as a replacement for Kawhi Leonard. USA Basketball released an official statement explaining Leonard has been ramping up for the Olympics and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas before stepping down. "He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it's in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris," reads the statement. Boston Celtics guard Derrick White is replacing him on Team USA's roster, shortly after winning his first NBA title. His teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday are also a part of the roster, along with Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, who missed the first exhibition game against Canada due to a calf strain. Team USA will play exhibition games against Australia, Serbia, South Sudan, and Germany throughout July before the 2024 Summer Olympics kicks off on July 27. They won 16 Olympic gold medals in the past, including four consecutive golds between 2008 and 2002.