USA Basketball announced its roster for the upcoming 2021 FIBA Americup Qualifiers. Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas are the two biggest names.
USA Basketball announced its roster for the upcoming 2021 FIBA Americup Qualifiers. Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas are the two biggest names.
The qualifiers will feature sixteen countries from North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America all competing to earn a spot in the 2022 FIBA Americup.
Johnson and Thoms are two of the five players on this roster who have experience on an NBA roster. Meanwhile, seven players on this team have already played for Team USA in some capacity before this tournament.
Led by head coach Joe Prunty, Team USA begins training in San Juan, Puerto Rico later this month. They will face Bahamas (Feb. 19) and Mexico (Feb. 20) on ESPN+.
Notre Dame and Team USA Hockey forward Alex Steeves is up for a national award in the collegiate ranks.
Notre Dame star hockey forward Alex Steeves is up for a national award based on fan voting. Details can be found the University of Notre Dame’s official release below:
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Junior forward Alex Steeves has been selected to Phase One of the Hobey Baker Award’s fan ballot.
Awarded annually to college hockey’s top player, the Hobey Baker award includes candidates exhibiting the exceptional character traits of the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker, with consideration given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.
Steeves has scored nine goals and added six assists for 15 points in 18 contests this season for the Irish, including a six-game point streak from Dec. 4 – Jan. 9. Steeves’ nine markers lead the team and are currently tied for the third-most in the Big Ten. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native has earned at least one point in 13 of 18 games in the 2020-21 campaign.
The Fan Balloting (Phase I) of the Hobey Baker award calendar will continue until March 7. On March 17, the Top 10 Finalists will be announced, at which time Phase II Fan Balloting will begin and run through March 28, 2021. The Hobey Hat Trick Finalist Announcement will be made on April 1. The 2021 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 9, 2021.
Up Next For The Irish
Notre Dame stays on the road to take on Big Ten foe Ohio State this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 5-6) in Columbus, Ohio.
Friday’s contest is set for 4:30 p.m. ET before the teams wrap up the weekend series on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The former Boston Celtic will be representing the U.S. under coach Joe Prunty.
It might not be with an NBA team, but former Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas will soon be back in uniform playing games on a hardwood court.
He’ll be doing it for Team USA in the AmeriCup qualifying tournament taking place between Feb. 19 and 20 that will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico according to ESPN senior writers Adrian Wojnarowski, who notes it will be an ideal “opportunity for Thomas to make a case for a return to the league after offseason procedure on his hip.” Thomas will be coached by former Milwaukee Bucks NBA head coach Joe Prunty.
Great opportunity for Thomas to make a case for a return to the league after offseason procedure on his hip.
IT spent the pandemic lockdown getting his hip surgically repaired, which had dogged him ever since he hurt it playing for the Celtics in 2017, bouncing around the league while trying unsuccessfully to play through the pain.
Hopefully the King in the Fourth leverages the opportunity to another shot in the NBA — if anyone deserves one, it’s him.
After a strong start to the 2020-21 NBA season, Christian Wood is among USA Basketball’s invitees for the 2021 Olympics player pool.
New Houston Rockets center Christian Wood is atttracting attention from around the world for his fast start to the 2020-21 NBA season.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 25-year-old’s list of admirers includes the leadership of USA Basketball, which is in charge of putting together a roster for the 2021 Olympics in Japan. Those Olympics were supposed to be held in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay.
“The selection process at center will be interesting for this team, a problem-area for Team USA in 2019 World Cup,” Woj tweeted. “Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Houston’s Christian Wood — one of the league’s success stories in 2020-2021 — are among invitees to fill those roles.”
Selection process at center will be interesting for this team, a problem-area for Team USA in 2019 World Cup. Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Houston’s Christian Wood – one of the league’s success stories in 2020-2021 – are among invitees to fill those roles, sources said.
Team USA, which typically is the world’s best team on the international stage, finished in a disappointing seventh place during the 2019 World Cup. Many of the NBA’s biggest names did not participate.
But the Olympics often incentivize greater participation by the NBA’s best players, and it appears that Wood is considered to be in that mix. In his first season as a consistent starter, the 6-foot-10 big man is averaging 23.5 points (52.8% FG) and 10.8 rebounds per game with the Rockets.
The 2021 Olympics are currently scheduled to be held between July 23 and August 8, which could potentially conflict with the 2021 NBA Finals and lead to players from those teams declining to participate in Tokyo. But after the recent trade of superstar guard James Harden, the Rockets (5-9) generally aren’t viewed as a championship contender this season. In turn, that will likely make Wood available as a potential selection.
Landon Slaggert is in the middle of his first season at Notre Dame, and it’s already been memorable.
Landon Slaggert is in the middle of his first season at Notre Dame, and it’s already been memorable. As thrilling as skating for the Irish is, his greatest success this season has not come in South Bend. That’s come with Team USA, which won gold at this year’s World Junior Championship. The last Notre Dame player to medal in this event was Andrew Peeke, who helped the U.S. earn a bronze in 2018.
Slaggert, a South Bend native and recent Chicago Blackhawks draftee, did not score any points in seven games for the U.S., but he attained 12 penalty minutes. With the Irish, he has one goal and two assists through six games. That’s a far cry from the six goals apiece he scored in his last two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Perhaps his most recent experience will allow him to finish his freshman season in a big way.
If the NBA changes its schedule due to the pandemic, Team USA might end up without any Boston Celtics or other NBA players in the 2020 Olympics.
Now that it is certain that the 2020 Olympic Games are postponed until the summer of 2021, another question arises regarding Team USA and the contingent of Boston Celtics who played for it in the summer of 2019.
Team Shamrock (as those Celtics players became known) and the rest of the NBA players on Team USA’s roster currently have no idea when — or if — the 2019-20 regular season and playoffs will resume, nor what impact that could have on their participation in the 2020 Olympics.
Should the NBA continue on a truncated or calendrically-adjusted schedule going forward for even a season, it could mean NBA players would not be able to participate.
And even if there is no direct overlap, if the proximity is too close to the start or end of this or next season, the best players in the world may end up sitting the next Olympics out anyway, and not just for the U.S.
Add this to the growing list of unknown ripple effects decisions to be made in the coming weeks and months ranging from everything from the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery and the draft itself to the salary cap and future free agency to the structure of the league season itself.
Proposals to address any of the problems with these and many league and NBA-adjacent events could resonate for years into the future as a result of the coronavirus pandemic creating chaos not just in the Association, but all pro sports and many industries.
As with much in our current situation, only time will clarify what effect the NBA’s plans to resume the season have on the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and many other interrelated events.
Whatever the decisions made by the NBA and USA Basketball end up being, after the pandemic ripped quotidian pleasures like pro sports from our lives so rapidly and without notice, most of us may simply be happy to have basketball back at any level.
Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook wanted to play in the 2020 Olympics, but the event now appears set for postponement.
Veteran International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound told USA TODAY Sports on Monday that the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo would be postponed, likely to 2021. He cited information regarding the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak around the world.
“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound told Christine Brennan of USA TODAY Sports. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”
Houston Rockets stars and former NBA MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook had previously expressed interest in playing for the USA Basketball Men’s National Team in the 2020 Olympics. In February, each was named among the 44 finalists for the Olympic roster.
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But with the NBA appearing to target a mid-to-late June timeframe for the resumption of its 2019-20 season, players from playoff-bound teams (such as the Rockets) might not have had a realistic path to play in the Olympics, anyway — even had they gone on as scheduled.
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Harden and Westbrook are 30 and 31 years old, respectively. They won a gold medal together at the 2012 Olympics before each withdrew from consideration on the same day for the 2016 squad.
The two Rockets stars will both be in their mid 30s in the summer of 2024, which might make them reluctant at that age to put their bodies through that type of workload during an NBA offseason. Thus, this cycle could be their last realistic opportunity to compete in the Olympics.
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Exclusive: The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed, likely to 2021, veteran IOC member Dick Pound says.
Kevin Durant may not take the floor for Brooklyn in 2019-20, but Nets fans may get a look at him in game action before 2020-21.
Kevin Durant hasn’t played a minute of Brooklyn Nets basketball since he joined the team — which is a result of his right Achilles injury and surgery. From the beginning of the 2019-20 season, the Nets maintained Durant was not expected to play this year.
With there being some room for speculation about Durant’s availability, given his and Brooklyn’s stance, the forward was recently asked for a more definitive answer. He then ruled himself out for 2019-20
However, there’s still a chance Durant plays in games before the 2020-21 season. Though, it may not be in the capacity Nets fans want.
When USA basketball released its preliminary roster in early February, Durant’s name was among those listed — along with Nets teammates Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris.
According to Durant’s business partner, Rich Kleiman, the forward had a say in his name being on the list.
“[Tokyo is] definitely a possibility,” Kleiman said told the Washington Post. “He allowed his name to be in the group of finalists. But there are other benchmarks in front of him that are more important before he makes those decisions.”
Steve Kerr says it’s “still a possibility” Klay Thompson plays for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
The Golden State Warriors officially announced Klay Thompson would miss the entirety of the 2019-20 season due to a knee injury he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Thompson won’t play a game for the Warriors this season, but there is still a chance he could lace-up for Team USA over the summer. Thompson was named to the 44-man preliminary roster for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics edition of Team USA basketball.
Thompson’s chances of making the final 12-man Olympic roster hinges on the health of his knee. As the injured “Splash Brother” is progressing through his rehab, the possibility of Thompson playing in the Olympics hasn’t been ruled out.
Before the Warriors played the Houston Rockets, Steve Kerr spoke to reporters, offering insight on Thompson’s chances of making Team USA.
It’s not off the table — it’s still a possibility. We haven’t really discussed it. I think the team meets in July, so it’s still quite aways away, but it’s really not anything we’re discussing at this point. It’s just still a possibility.
Steve Kerr said it’s still possible Klay Thompson competes in Olympics. He hasn’t seen Klay sprinting/jumping yet, but he will increasingly do more on the floor, behind the scenes, in upcoming weeks, as season nears an end. pic.twitter.com/DGJhFTzR8b
According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, Thompson is still in contention for a roster spot on Team USA as he continues to rehab his knee.
Thompson, though, remains in contention for a spot on the United States' 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics. @usabasketball will finalize that roster in June and Klay is said to be making good progress in his recovery from a torn left ACL in Game 6 of last season's NBA Finals
If Thompson’s knee is fully recovered in time for Team USA’s trip to Tokyo, it’ll be his second appearance in the Summer Games. Thompson was apart of Team USA’s run to gold in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
Thompson tallied 9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21 minutes per contest in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Evidence of the leap forward made by third-year Boston Celtics swingman Jayson Tatum was already getting noticed by the Duke product’s teammates this summer.
While many of us are only just seeing the full extent of Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum’s capabilities in his third season in the NBA, his Team USA alumni already had an inkling this summer.
One of four such FIBA World Cup 2019 participants to also get an All-Star nod (the other three being Celtics teammate Kemba Walker along with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton and Utah Jazz’ Donovan Mitchell), the Duke product made an impression on his summertime teammates despite their eventual seventh-place finish.
Even with such a dismal backdrop to display his growing capabilities, Tatum shone enough to elicit some fairly high praise six months after returning from China for World Cup play.
One such Team USA alumnus is the Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Harris. The sharpshooting wing practically gushed about Tatum’s impact on Team USA.
“I thought Jayson was probably the best player on our team this summer,” offered Harris (courtesy of The Athletic’s Joe Vardon).
“Obviously there were a lot of talented guys there. Unfortunately he got hurt halfway through our trip, but he was leading us in a lot of different areas. It wasn’t this huge statistical thing, I think it was more the presence that he had. What I saw, what he brought every day to practice.”
“It was one of those things where he is super young, but he didn’t act like it, he didn’t play like it, and I could’ve told you this summer that he’d have a pretty good chance to be here today as an All-Star,” added the Virginia product.
While the Missouri native only scored six points in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, his team won — a marked improvement over the summer’s comparative flop. Still, it’s hard not to imagine how things might have gone differently considering Tatum only played two tournament games for Team USA after spraining an ankle.
The two he missed were the losses resulting in the poor showing.
Averaging 22.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game this season on 38.2 % shooting from beyond the arc and 44.3 % overall, it’s safe to say the young wing has arrived among the NBA’s elite players.
But at 21 years old, the St. Louis native still has room to grow — and will need it if the top of the league’s Eastern Conference continues to bulk up after a decade or longer as the punching bag of Western teams in the postseason.
Based on what we’re seeing so far, though, it looks like the former Blue Devil still has a long way to go before he reaches his peak.
And that’s got to be making opposing general managers nervous.
