Heat’s Adebayo formally named to Team USA Olympic roster, with Spoelstra as an assistant
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will have company when it comes to this summer's Paris Olympics, with Heat center Bam Adebayo formally named Wednesday to one of the 12 spots on the Team USA Roster.
PHILADELPHIA – Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will have company when it comes to this summer’s Paris Olympics, with Heat center Bam Adebayo formally named Wednesday to one of the 12 spots on the Team USA Roster.
Having won gold with USA Basketball at the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Adebayo was named to the roster that will be guided by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, with Spoelstra to again serve as a Kerr assistant.
Spoelstra worked last summer as a Kerr assistant for USA Basketball at the World Cup in the Philippines.
Adebayo sat out that competition, as did the majority of those who will represent Team USA in Paris.
The Team USA roster for the Olympics was selected by USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
Our captain is heading back to the Olympics!
Congrats @Bam1of1
pic.twitter.com/OpTG769Def
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 17, 2024
Formally named to the team Wednesday in addition to Adebayo were Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).
The assembled roster has a combined 11 previous Olympic appearances and owns 10 Olympic gold medals as well as three FIBA World Cup titles. In total, Team USA included 12 NBA All-Stars, four NBA MVPs and six NBA champions.
In a statement, Hill said:
“It’s an honor to introduce the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team. I’m grateful to these 12 men for their commitment to represent USA Basketball. The United States is home to some of the best basketball players in the world and I appreciate the vast interest in being part of this roster. These decisions weren’t easy, but it was a pleasure to go through the process and reach this outcome.
“We have the utmost respect for the level of competition we will face this summer. The Olympics represent the pinnacle of sport and the world will be watching the USA as we play in the toughest basketball tournament in history.”
Greatness Unites.
The 2024 USA Men's National Team is here.
#USABMNT pic.twitter.com/I2jOLsrcQv
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) April 17, 2024
Adebayo (2020), Booker (2020), Davis (2012), Holiday (2020) and Tatum (2020) have won Olympic gold medals and are part of a group that has gone 34-4 in Olympic competition since James’ Olympic debut in 2004.
In addition to Spoelstra, Kerr’s Olympic coaching staff includes Mark Few (Gonzaga University) and Tyronn Lue (L.A. Clippers), who also were on the staff for the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team that placed fourth at the World Cup.
“My staff and I are honored to coach this amazing group of players in our quest to win Olympic gold in Paris,” Kerr said. “We plan to represent USA Basketball with the utmost class and we hope to make our country proud.”