Kevin Durant, Devin Booker part of USA Basketball’s 2024 player pool
Jan 23, 2024, 3:14 PM
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and guard Devin Booker on Tuesday were among 41 hoopers named to USA Basketball’s player pool for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The naming of the pool is the first official phase in the process of assembling a 12-player Olympic roster that will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr and assisted by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.
Team selection will be finalized this spring, with many of those decisions likely hinging upon player health and how deep their respective teams go in the NBA playoffs.
The news of the pool additions comes after Durant took home the Western Conference Player of the Week award on Monday. Booker was also a nominee for the honor.
This season (36 games played), Durant is averaging 29.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.2 blocks per game for Phoenix.
Booker on the other hand is dropping 26.7 points per game in addition to dishing out a career high 7.6 assists in 34 appearances.
Phoenix fans could also get to see Durant and Booker take the floor with former Suns Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who were part of the trade package that brought Durant to Phoenix from the Brooklyn Nets.
The pool, which is subject to change, includes 13 players who already have Olympic gold medals — Durant has three, LeBron James and Chris Paul each have two, while Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard, Booker, James Harden, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving and Paul George each have one.
If he plays — as he already stated was his goal last fall — and the U.S. wins, Durant would be the first men’s player with four basketball golds.
The other 28 players on the list are headlined by a pair who may make their Olympic debuts — Joel Embiid and Steph Curry among them. Both said last year that they would like to play on the Paris-bound U.S. team, though again, nothing will be finalized until their NBA seasons end.
Also picked for the pool: Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Alex Caruso, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Derrick White and Trae Young.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.