Zach LaVine One of 15 Additions to Team USA Finalists

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine was one of 15 players to be added to the team USA Finalists on Thursday.

Due to the unpredictable nature of things right now, Team USA added 15 players to their player pool for the eventual 2021 Team USA Basketball roster. Among those included in the new additions is Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who recently made his first NBA All-Star game.

The 15 additions to the player pool join 42 players that were already announced as roster finalists. That brings the finalists under consideration total to 57 players. As always, making the actual roster will be no easy task. The talent competing to represent Team USA is through the roof. LaVine is an interesting addition, though, considering his production this NBA season.

He has taken a step forward once again and is establishing himself as one of the best offensive players in the game today. He should have a good chance to earn one of the final roster spots when that time comes.

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LaVine is the only player representing the Chicago Bulls among the 57 finalists. A few other finalists have Bulls connections, though. Among those connections is former Bull Jimmy Butler, who is now a member of the Miami Heat. Ironically, LaVine was the centerpiece of the trade that saw the Bulls ship Butler out of town years ago.

The other Bulls connection is big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who is connected to the franchise in a very different way than Butler or LaVine. Aldridge has never played a game for the Bulls and likely never will. His connection comes via the 2006 NBA Draft, where the Bulls technically selected him with the second overall pick.

That selection was eventually part of a draft-night trade that haunted Bulls fans for years. In return, the Bulls added fourth overall selection Tyrus Thomas and wing Viktor Khryapa from the Portland Trailblazers.

The story of this trade is worth a deep dive at a later date, but for now, it can be summed up in one way – Aldridge is a finalist for the Team USA Roster in 2021, while Thomas last played in the NBA in 2015. Khryapa last played in the NBA in 2008.

Bulls fans have reasons to be excited instead of reliving that move. One of those reasons is the potential of Zach LaVine representing Team USA Basketball.