Coming off a great NBA Finals performance, Cavs guard Kyrie Irving has reportedly decided to join USA Basketball as they prepare to (hopefully) take on the world at the Olympics in Rio this coming August.
ESPN senior writer, Marc Stein sheds light on the details:
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has accepted an invitation to play for Team USA in this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Sources told ESPN that Irving, after deliberating all week following the Cavaliers’ championship run, has informed USA Basketball that he will be on the plane for Rio, completing the team’s roster.
Irving, 24, is looking healthier than he has the past couple seasons, and coming off that ugly broken kneecap he sustained in the 2015 playoffs, has seen a total resurgence alongside a newly-motivated LeBron James, and a head coach that trusts him to play his style of basketball.
Some will point to Irving’s injury history as a reason he shouldn’t take part in too much “extra curricular” basketball, however, playing with the best players in the world can only help his game and he will need to continue to solidify his game if the Cavs want to build a true championship dynasty.
Not to mention this will almost certainly be his last chance to represent his country at this grand of a stage.
ESPN is also reporting the finalized roster (to be revealed Monday in NYC), and although some notable names are missing; it still looks pretty substantial. The 12-man squad is said to be featuring: Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan at guard; Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes at forward; and DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan at center.
They should be highly competitive at the very least.