Yet another snub came the way of Chicago Bulls rising star shooting guard Zach LaVine this week, as he wasn’t considered among 44 names for the USA Team.
The USA Basketball Team that will compete in the Summer Olympics this year in Tokyo, Japan, will be comprised of more big names that it was for the FIBA World Championships last year. US Basketball ommitted a lot of big names for the FIBA World Cup, and that showed with the team placing in seventh in very disappointing fashion. None of the Chicago Bulls current players competed with that USA Basketball Team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
It appears that the Bulls could be without a representative even in consideration to make the US Basketball team that will represent the country in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Two notable players that were not included among the 44 that were reportedly on the preliminary roster ahead of Training Camp from the current Bulls roster are shooting guard Zach LaVine and small forward Otto Porter Jr.
This is turning out to be a rough year for LaVine as his breakthrough with the Bulls is going rather unnoticed. He was one of the bigger snubs from the NBA All-Star Game among the reserves for the Eastern Conference. And he is now not even considered among the 44 players on the preliminary roster for the US Basketball Team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Marc Stein of the New York Times published the entire list of 44 invitees on the preliminary roster on his Twitter timeline on Feb. 10.
Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson -- they're all on the @usabasketball 44-man preliminary roster for the Tokyo Olympics just officially announced ... pic.twitter.com/Y6RzKfJer4
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 10, 2020
Some of the names in consideration to make the final roster should definitely not be included if players like Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young, New Orleans Pelicans rookie sensation forward Zion Williamson, and LaVine aren’t on the list.
Here’s what USA Today’s For The Win had to say about the snubs on this USA Men’s Basketball Team list.
"USA Basketball released a preliminary roster on Monday of 44 names to be considered for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, and while LeBron James and Steph Curry are back in the fold for the national team, the list had some glaring omissions.Notably, players like Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Carmelo Anthony, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and John Collins were left off the list entirely while Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard, Marcus Smart and Derrick White were among the 44 players to receive camp invitations.Gregg Popovich will remain as head coach even after the seventh-place finish at the FIBA World Cup. Mike Krzyzewskicoached the team for the past three Olympics. Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce and Jay Wright will serve as assistants."
It is a popular opinion that LaVine should be on this team.
Only logical reason as to why Zach Lavine isnt on here is because he declined.
— Lake Joshua ⚓️ (@bigjavi_bball) February 10, 2020
No way in hell should Joe Harris, Kyle Kuzma, and Derrick White be considered before Lavine. https://t.co/v2DJTrUDNa
The Bulls rising star shooting guard is averaging 25.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc. There’s just no way that he should be out of the list of 44 players for the Olympic Team with those types of numbers this season.
LaVine will next be in action with the Bulls on Feb. 11 as they take on star shooting guard Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards. Maybe LaVine will carry a chip on his shoulder from this snub and have a big game against the Wizards.