On Tuesday, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and guard Devin Booker were among 41 players nominated to USA Basketball’s 2024 Olympic player pool in Paris.
The pool’s name is the first official step in creating a 12-player Olympic team that will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr, with assistance from Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue, and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.
Team selection will be finalized this spring, with many decisions likely based on player health and how far their respective teams advance in the NBA playoffs.
The announcement of the pool additions came after Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Booker was also a nominee for the award.
Durant’s averages for Phoenix this season (36 games) are 29.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks.
Booker, on the other hand, averages 26.7 points per game and has a career-high 7.6 assists in 34 outings.
Phoenix fans might also witness Durant and Booker play alongside former Suns Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who were part of the transaction that brought Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
The pool, which is subject to change, includes 13 players who have already won Olympic gold medals: Durant has three, LeBron James and Chris Paul have two each, and Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard, Booker, James Harden, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving, and Paul George each have one.
If Durant plays, as he stated last autumn, and the United States wins, he will become the first men’s basketball player to win four gold medals.
The other 28 players on the list include Joel Embiid and Steph Curry, who may make their Olympic debuts. Both stated last year that they would like to play for the Paris-bound US squad, but nothing will be settled until their NBA seasons complete.
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 were also chosen for the pool.