USA Basketball has officially announced its 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics.
The roster features Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard and former Lake Oswego star Kevin Love.
Lillard will be making his international debut after missing out on the 2014 World Cup and withdrawing himself from consideration for the Olympics last year before they were postponed to 2021.
Coming off a regular-season finishing top-10 in MVP voting and a postseason averaging 34.3 points, 10.2 assists, and 4.3 rebounds, Lillard's stellar play made him a lock if he wanted it, especially with no Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, or Russell Westbrook on the team.
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With the way the team is looking, Lillard seems to have a legit shot to be a starter if Gregg Popovich is going the route of a traditional lineup. Unless he would prioritize Jrue Holiday’s defense alongside the already deep offensive power the team will be starting.
As for Love, his addition to the team raised some eyebrows. He’s coming off an injury-riddled season after playing in 25 games and averaging 12.2 points.Â
Although his placement on the team has been questioned, his value shouldn't. He's a floor-spacing big and is still a rebounding threat.