After a somewhat rough start, the 2020 US Men’s Olympic Basketball Team rebounded and made it through the remainder of the 2020 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament to claim gold.
The United States lost to France in their first group game but went on to beat Iran (120-66) and the Czech Republic (119-84). The Americans then beat Spain in the quarter-finals (95-81) and Australia in the semi-finals (97-78). The United States consolidated their gold medal streak after beating France in a rematch in the gold medal game, 87-82.
The 12-player roster for the 2020 US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team in Tokyo included three former Kentucky Wildcats and a pair of UCLA Bruins in addition to one representative each from Duke, Michigan State, Nevada. , Texas, Texas A&M, Syracuse and Weber State. The team was coached by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Villanova head coach Jay Wright is the team’s assistant coach.
Below is a full breakdown of each player’s roster and college career.
| Player | Position | Age | Current team | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | Center | 23 | Miami heat | Kentucky |
| Devin Booker | Guardian | 24 | Phoenix Suns | Kentucky |
| Kevin Durant | Cheeky | 32 | brooklyn nets | Texas |
| Jerami grant | Cheeky | 27 | Detroit Pistons | Syracuse |
| Draymond Green | Cheeky | 31 | Golden State Warriors | Michigan State |
| Jrue Holidays | Guardian | 31 | Milwaukee dollars | UCLA |
| Keldon johnson | Guardian | 21 | San Antonio Spurs | Kentucky |
| Zach LaVine | Guardian | 26 | Chicago Bulls | UCLA |
| Damien lillard | Guardian | 30 | Portland Trail Blazers | Weber State |
| JaVale McGee | Center | 33 | Denver Nuggets | Nevada |
| Khris Middleton | Cheeky | 29 | Milwaukee dollars | Texas A&M |
| Jayson tatum | Cheeky | 23 | Boston Celtics | Duke |
Kevin Durant
Durant was the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. The forward is a two-time NBA champion, nine-time All-NBA draft, 11-time NBA All-Star and a league MVP. in 2014. This is Durant’s third time on the US Olympic list. He helped the men’s team win gold in 2012 and 2016.
Vital
The school: Texas
Years: 2006-07
Career averages: 25.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.9 SPG, 1.3 APG
Current team: brooklyn nets
NBA career averages: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.1 SPG
Recordings
- First freshman in NCAA history wins National Player of the Year award
- Highest point total in a single season in Big 12 history: 903 points
- Highest point total in a season in Texas history: 903 points
- Highest single-season scoring average in the Big 12: 28.9 points per game
- Highest single-season rebound average in the Big 12: 12.5 rebounds per game
Awards
- 2007 Wooden Award National Player of the Year
- 2007 Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year
- 2007 AP National Player of the Year
- 2007 NABC National Player of the Year
- 2007 USBWA National Player of the Year
- Adolph Rupp National Player of the Year Award 2007
- 2007 CBS / Chevrolet National Player of the Year
- 2007 ESPN.com National Player of the Year
- 2007 SI.com National Player of the Year
- 2007 Sporting News National Player of the Year
- 2007 USBWA Freshman of the Year
- 2007 Sports News Freshman of the Year
- 2007 AP All-American First Team
- 2007 USBWA First All-American Team
- 2007 NABC First All-America Team
- 2007 Sporting News First All-American Team
- 2007 Big 12 Player of the Year
- 2007 Big 12 Freshman of the Year
- 2007 All-Big 12 First Team
- 2007 All-Big 12 Defensive Team
- 2007 All-Big 12 Rookie Team
- 2007 Big 12 Tournament MVP
- 2007 All-Big 12 Tournament First Team
Draymond Green
Green was the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The forward is a three-time NBA champion, two-time All-NBA draft, three-time NBA All-Star and was the defensive player of the league year in 2017. This will be Green’s second appearance at the Olympics. He was part of the US team that won gold in 2016.
Vital
The school: Michigan State
Years: 2008-2012
Career averages: 10.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG
Current team: Golden State Warriors
NBA career averages: 8.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Recordings
- Michigan State’s all-time leader in total rebounds: 1,096
Awards
- 2010 Big Ten Sixth man of the year
- 2010 Midwest All-Regional Team (NCAA Tournament)
- 2012 NABC National Player of the Year
- 2012 AP All-American First Team
- 2012 USBWA First Team All-American
- 2012 NABC First American All-Star Team
- 2012 Sports News All-American First Team
- Big Ten Player of the Year 2012
- 2012 All-Big Ten First Team
- 2012 Big Ten All-Defensive Team
- 2012 West All-Regional Team (NCAA tournament)
- 2012 Big Ten Tournament MVP
- 2012 All-Big Ten Tournament First Team
Damien lillard
Lillard was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The goalie is six times NBA All-Star and six times All-NBA Team. This will be Lillard’s first Olympics.
Vital
The school: Weber State
Years: 2008-2012
Career averages: 18.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
Current team: Portland Trail Blazers
NBA career averages: 24.7 RPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Recordings
- All-time leader of Weber State in the 3 points scored: 246
- Weber State’s all-time leader in free throws: 520
- Highest free throw percent in Weber State history: 86.7
Awards
- Big Sky Player of the Year 2010
- Big Sky Player of the Year 2012
Devin Booker
Booker was the 13th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The goalie is a two-time NBA All-Star. It will be his first appearance on the Olympic stage.
Vital
The school: Kentucky
Years: 2014-15
Career averages: 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.1 APG
Current team: Phoenix Suns
NBA career averages: 23.0 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.7 RPG
Awards
- 2015 SEC sixth man of the year
- 2015 SEC Freshman Team
Khris Middleton
Middleton was the 39th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The forward is a two-time NBA All-Star. This is the first time Middleton has been on the US Olympic list.
Vital
The school: Texas A&M
Years: 2009-2012
Career averages: 11.3 RPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Current team: Milwaukee dollars
NBA career averages: 16.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
Awards
- 2011 All-Big 12 Second Team
Jayson tatum
Tatum was the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The forward is a two-time NBA All-Star selection and an NBA All-Star Team selection. This will be Tatum’s first appearance on the Olympic stage.
Vital
The school: Duke
Years: 2016-17
Career averages: 16.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Current team: Boston Celtics
NBA career averages: 19.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG
Awards
- 2017 Third Team All-ACC
- 2017 All-ACC Freshman Team
- First team of the 2017 All-ACC tournament
Jrue Holidays
Holiday was the 17th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. The goalie is once NBA All-Star and three times All-Defensive Team. This will be Holiday’s first Olympic Games.
Vital
The school: UCLA
Years: 2008-09
Career averages: 8.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG
Current team: Milwaukee dollars
NBA career averages: 16.0 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Awards
- 2009 All-Pac-10 Freshman
Jerami grant
Grant was the 39th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. This is Grant’s first time on the US Olympic team.
Vital
The school: Syracuse
Years: 2012-2014
Career averages: 7.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.9 APG
Current team: Detroit Pistons
NBA career averages: 10.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.1 BPG
Zach LaVine
LaVine was the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. The goalie is a former NBA All-Star. This will be LaVine’s first appearance on the Olympic stage.
Vital
The school: UCLA
Years: 2013-14
Career averages: 9.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.8 PPG
Current team: Chicago Bulls
NBA career averages: 19.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.8 APG
Recordings
Awards
- 2014 All-Pac-12 Freshman
Bam Adebayo
Adebayo was the 14th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The center is once NBA All-Star and a double All-Defensive Team selection. It will be Adebayo’s first Olympic Games.
Vital
The school: Kentucky
Years: 2016-17
Career averages: 13.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Current team: Miami heat
NBA career averages: 12.4 RPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.5 RPG
Awards
- 2017 All-SEC Second Team
- 2017 All-SEC Freshman Team
- First team of the 2017 All-SEC tournament
JaVale McGee
McGee was the 18th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. The center is a three-time NBA champion. This will be McGee’s first Olympics.
Vital
The school: Nevada
Years: 2006-08
Career averages: 8.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Current team: Denver Nuggets
NBA career averages: 7.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Awards
- Completed Nevada Career # 4 on School Block List (122)
- Led WAC in blocks per game (2.8) in 2007-08 season
- All-WAC Second Team and All-WAC Defensive Team
Keldon johnson
Johnson was the 29th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The goalie is the sixth player aged 21 or under to be on a U.S. Olympic roster since NBA players were cleared to play in 1992 – and that’s the first since 2012 (Anthony Davis). This will be Johnson’s first Olympics.
Vital
The school: Kentucky
Years: 2018-19
Career averages: 13.5 RPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 RPG
Current team: San Antonio Spurs
NBA career averages: 12.0 RPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.6 RPG
