COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — USA Basketball is closer to finalizing its roster for the Tokyo Olympics.
Chicago All-Star guard Zach LaVine has committed playing for the national team, his agent Nima Namakian said Wednesday, a move would give the American roster six of the top 10 NBA scorers from the U.S. this season.
Lavine averaged 27.4 points for Chicago, making the All-Star team for the first time.
Stephen Curry, who led the NBA in scoring, is not planning to play for the U.S. this summer. But six of the next nine U.S. names on this year’s scoring list — Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and now LaVine — are among those who have told USA Basketball that they’re in for Tokyo.
Other players who have committed in recent days are Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo.
This would be the first Olympics for LaVine. He has some past USA Basketball experience, after being part of the select team that trained with and against the 2016 U.S. Olympic team during practices in Las Vegas as they prepared for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.