What the roster will look like for Team USA at the Summer Olympics this year in Tokyo, Japan, finally dropped on the afternoon of June 23. And that roster for Team USA will include the star Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine for the first time in 2021.
LaVine will join a loaded roster, despite quite a few high-profile opt-outs. The list of players that won’t be joining Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo this year includes Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul, and Brooklyn Nets stars Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
Moreover, LaVine also joins a group in this backcourt for Team USA that includes a good number of first-time selections. Suns star guard Devin Booker, and Milwaukee Bucks guards Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are all playing for Team USA for the first time in their NBA careers.
Team USA's 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2021
Kevin Durant
Damian Lillard
Bradley Beal
Jayson Tatum
Devin Booker
Zach LaVine
Kevin Love
Bam Adebayo
Draymond Green
Jrue Holiday
Khris Middleton
Jerami Grant
Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine joining a talented Team USA in Tokyo
The backcourt for Team USA does look to be more talented and deep than the forwards/frontcourt on this roster. But that’s not to say that both groups aren’t littered with All-Stars.
The Bulls star shooting guard LaVine might not be a starter in this backcourt for Team USA, as that honor will likely fall to Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and either Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics or Booker. But LaVine could still compete for that spot. He’s not that far behind the likes of Tatum, Booker, and Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal in terms of numbers.
LaVine got his first career All-Star nod this year, and deservedly so. With the way his production has trended in the past three or four seasons, it doesn’t look like LaVine will be done garnering All-Star selections anytime soon.
LaVine and the Bulls finished up the regular season with a record of 31-41 under the direction of first-year head coach Billy Donovan. This season, he averaged 27.4 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks, while shooting 50.7 percent from the field, 41.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 84.9 percent from the free-throw line.