USA Basketball Team for 2016 Olympics Roster News and List of Players: Paul George Will Play for Rio Games After Recovering from Injury, Says the Mental Rehab is the Toughest
High-volume scorer and NBA All-star Paul George is confirmed to play for the Rio Olympics due to start this week. George suffered a compound leg fracture in 2014 and been on and off the court since then while undergoing rehabilitation.
Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo promised George a spot in the 2016 national team as a push for the former MVP contender to get back. George responded by re-training himself with the basketball basics and focused in painstaking rehabilitation.
"It's literally steps; you have to re-train yourself. Have to retrain how to walk, how to run, how to jump, how to cut. You got to get comfortable with that all over again," George said adding that the mental torture that his NBA career is threatened by the injury is the worst part of the rehab.
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Meanwhile, Saturday's Rio opener against Team China marks George's debut in international games as well as the Olympics so a very important turning point for the Pacers star. George will play a crucial spot, together with Chicago's Jimmy Butler as perimeter guards against other teams' outside shooters. The duo is also known to be both lethal shooters from the arc.
Team USA's roster includes cornerstones Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins, thus ensuring offensive stability from both under the basket and the perimeter. The current setup was already tested during the friendly game series wins against Argentina, Venezuela and two against China.
USA's plays during the earlier tune-ups also show improvements although most of the core players are needing off-season rest, suffering from injuries, into family problems, upcoming free agents and other distractions. It is to be observed as well that the final members to brave Rio Olympics are seemingly either future Hall of Famers, All-NBA Players, All-Stars, or those who have tasted at least NBA conference finals. So the final picks were made and the team will look as such:
Point Guards: Kyrie Irving (CLE), Kyle Lowry (TOR)
Shooters: Klay Thompson (GSW), Jimmy Butler (CHI)
All-Purpose: Kevin Durant (OKC), Draymond Green (GSW), Paul George (IND),Carmelo Anthony (NYK), , DeMar DeRozan (TOR)
Centers: DeMarcus Cousins (SAC), DeAndre Jordan (LAC)
So Even if many of the NBA's top players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who both decided to pass on playing in Rio after a grueling NBA Finals, Team USA is still the overwhelming favorite to take home the gold medal.
