George, Leonard react to being named to 2024 USA Basketball player pool
The stars could represent their team and nation in Paris this upcoming summer.
LOS ANGELES — There have been only two players in franchise history who won an Olympic gold medal while being a member of the LA Clippers — Chris Paul (2012) and DeAndre Jordan (2016). That list could grow by the summer.
On Tuesday, Clippers players Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden were named to the 41-athlete player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team.
“It means a lot,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who is also an acting assistant coach on Team USA, said pregame Tuesday.
“Anytime you get a chance to represent your country and have an opportunity to play, like I said, on the USA team, it means a lot. And just for the franchise, just everything we’re doing to try to make sure we’re going the right direction, make sure we’re setting the right culture, the right examples. And so having those three guys being finalists means a lot to this organization, to them as well.”
Kawhi Leonard’s only appearance for Team USA occurred as part of the USA Select Team ahead of the 2012 Olympics but Leonard did not make the squad that eventually won gold that year in London.
On media day in October, Leonard was asked if he would be interested in representing Team USA at the 2024 Olympics should he be approached with the possibility.
“Yeah, I wanted to play this summer,” said Leonard. “But I had other obligations and I would have had to leave early, so I wasn’t able to go. We’ll see what happens.”
Leonard was rehabbing from a torn right meniscus in the summer that cut his postseason run short. On Tuesday, Leonard expressed what it meant to him to be named to the pool of players eligible for selection.
“It’s great. Just them seeing my hard work, seeing I’ve been progressing, and I’m happy to be a finalist.”
Likewise, on media day, Clippers wing Paul George was asked if he’d accept a potential selection to Team USA.
“Yes and no,” said George before elaborating. “It all depends on how well we do and how far we go this season. That would play a lot into my decision on going and playing over in France. I would love to. I know [LeBron James] is in the forefront of creating a hell of a roster. But that’s first and foremost on how my body is, how my health is, to finish the season.”
George was injured in the runup to the 2014 FIBA World Cup, suffering a devastating leg injury that made even the most optimistic observers question whether or not George would ever return to form.
Those doubts were squashed rather quickly.
Since suffering the injury, George has played in 547 games, averaging 23.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists along the way while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent on 3s.
George played on the 2016 Olympic gold-medal-winning squad, averaging 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists across the eight games. George finished as the team's fourth-leading scorer behind Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Kyrie Irving.
“It’s always an honor to still be in consideration to represent [Team] USA,” George said on Tuesday when asked about making the 41-player list. “I think for all of us, we cherish and embrace that and have an opportunity to do that with some of the best in the world. Can never pass that up.”
Also making the list was James Harden. The talented guard has won a gold medal with Team USA already, doing so at the 2012 Olympics and then again at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
The veteran played in all eight games at the 2012 Olympics, averaging 5.5 points on 50 percent shooting as Team USA won by an average of 32.1 points per game. LeBron James, who will likely have a large hand in the shaping of the 2024 roster, was on that same 2012 team. As was current Clippers teammate Russell Westbrook.
Harden helped lead Team USA to gold at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game to go with 3.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds. Harden shot 52.6 percent from the field during the tournament and appeared alongside current Clippers teammate Mason Plumlee during that time.
Making the 41-player preliminary pool does not necessarily mean you’ll make the final roster, but the three Clippers have as good of a shot as anyone, especially with how all three have played this season and the rate at which the Clippers are winning.
Considering the ages of the three stars and the mileage on each of their bodies, this will likely be the last time any of them would play in a Team USA setting.
Going out with a gold medal would be a nice feather in the cap for all.