Tag: Tokyo Olympics 2020

LeBron ‘needs to see how body feels’ before committing to Tokyo 2020

The Los Angeles Lakers star told reporters that his priority right now is a long playoff run for his team and hopefully a championship.

The Los Angeles Lakers took care of business last night as they thumped the Phoenix Suns in a 25-point victory and a rare huge night from their bench. But before the game, the Lakers had already received a major victory in terms of recognition as five members of the team, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis, were included on USA Basketball’s 44-man player pool for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

However, LeBron James himself remains non-committal about playing in the tournament. Although James has been open to playing in the Olympics, he’s made it abundantly clear that his first priority is leading the Lakers in the NBA playoffs later this spring, according to USA TODAY’s Mark Medina.

“It’s always predicated on my body, and how my body is feeling at the end of the season,” said James, who his in his 17th NBA season. “I hope to make a long playoff run. And then see where my mind is and then where my family’s head is. So, it’s a lot of factors.”

Another factor that James didn’t mention is that he’s the NBA’s All-Time leader in minutes played in the NBA playoffs. He will add to that total later this year and after a season in which LeBron has led the NBA in assists, he may need the period between late July and early August to recover from what they hope will be a long playoff run.

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LeBron James and Anthony Davis joined by 3 other Lakers on 44-man USA pool

The Los Angeles Lakers are heavily represented on the list of 44 players from the United States who will have a chance to play in Tokyo.

The Los Angeles Lakers are well-represented in the preliminary player pool announced by USA Basketball on Monday morning of the 44 players who will have a chance to make the team that will represent the United States in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympics later on this year.

As expected, LeBron James and Anthony Davis were both top inclusions, both last playing in the 2012 Olympics together to help the United States win the gold medal. The final roster will only have 12 players, but there are three other Lakers on the preliminary roster: centers Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, as well as forward Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma participated in USA Basketball’s training camps this summer before an injury ruined his opportunity to play in the FIBA World Cup.

USA Basketball is looking for a bit of redemption after a disappointing performance in the FIBA World Cup, where they finished 7th. They lacked star power and that doesn’t look like it should be an issue this time, with the Olympics being a much more desired competition than the FIBA World Cup.

LeBron has maintained an open mind when it comes to playing in the 2020 Olympics, but he has yet to make a decision on whether he will play or not.

Full 44-man roster below.

2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team Finalists

 

NAME     POS                               HGT  WGT   *AGE   CURRENT TEAM / COLLEGE or HIGH SCHOOL

Bam Adebayo                C/F      6-9       255           22          Miami Heat / Kentucky

LaMarcus Aldridge         F/C      6-11     250           34          San Antonio Spurs / Texas

Harrison Barnes                 F       6-8       225           27          Sacramento Kings / North Carolina

Bradley Beal                     G      6-3       207           26          Washington Wizards / Florida

Devin Booker                    G      6-5       206           23          Phoenix Suns / Kentucky

Malcolm Brogdon              G      6-5       229           27          Indiana Pacers / Virginia

Jaylen Brown                 G/F      6-6       223           23          Boston Celtics / California

Jimmy Butler                     F       6-7       230           30          Miami Heat / Marquette

Mike Conley                     G      6-1       175           32          Utah Jazz / Ohio State

Stephen Curry                   G      6-3       185           31          Golden State Warriors / Davidson

Anthony Davis               F/C      6-10     253           26          Los Angeles Lakers / Kentucky

DeMar DeRozan            G/F      6-6       220           30          San Antonio Spurs/ USC

Andre Drummond              C       6-10     279           26          Cleveland Cavaliers / Connecticut

Kevin Durant                     F       6-10     240           31          Brooklyn Nets / Texas

Paul George                      F       6-8       220           29          L.A. Clippers / Fresno State

Draymond Green               F       6-6       230           29          Golden State Warriors / Michigan State

James Harden                    G      6-5       220           30          Houston Rockets / Arizona State

Montrezl Harrell             F/C      6-7       240           26          L.A. Clippers / Louisville

Joe Harris                       G/F      6-6       220           28          Brooklyn Nets / Virginia

Tobias Harris                     F       6-8       226           27          Philadelphia 76ers / Tennessee

Gordon Hayward               F       6-7       225           29          Boston Celtics / Butler

Dwight Howard                 C       6-10     265           34          Los Angeles Lakers / Southwest Atlanta Christian Acd. (GA)

Brandon Ingram                 F       6-7       190           22          New Orleans Pelicans / Duke

Kyrie Irving                      G      6-2       195           27          Brooklyn Nets / Duke

LeBron James                   F       6-9       250           35          Los Angeles Lakers / St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S. (OH)

Kyle Kuzma                      F       6-8       221           24          Los Angeles Lakers / Utah

Kawhi Leonard                  F       6-7       225           28          L.A. Clippers/ San Diego State

Damian Lillard                  G      6-2       195           29          Portland Trail Blazers / Weber State

Brook Lopez                     C       7-0       282           31          Milwaukee Bucks / Stanford

Kevin Love                    F/C      6-8       251           31          Cleveland Cavaliers / UCLA

Kyle Lowry                       G      6-0       196           33          Toronto Raptors / Villanova

JaVale McGee                   C       7-0       270           32          Los Angeles Lakers / Nevada

Khris Middleton                F       6-7       222           28          Milwaukee Bucks / Texas A&M

Donovan Mitchell              G      6-1       215           23          Utah Jazz / Louisville

Victor Oladipo                  G      6-4       213           27          Indiana Pacers / Indiana

Chris Paul                         G      6-1       175           34          Oklahoma City Thunder / Wake Forest

Mason Plumlee               F/C      6-11     254           29          Denver Nuggets / Duke

Marcus Smart                    G      6-3       220           25          Boston Celtics / Oklahoma State

Jayson Tatum                 G/F      6-8       210           21          Boston Celtics / Duke

Klay Thompson                 G      6-6       215           30          Golden State Warriors / Washington State

Myles Turner                  C/F      6-11     250           23          Indiana Pacers / Texas

Kemba Walker                  G      6-0       184           29          Boston Celtics / Connecticut

Russell Westbrook             G      6-3       200           31          Houston Rockets / UCLA

Derrick White                   G      6-4       190           25          San Antonio Spurs / Colorado

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