:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69514293/593258670.0.jpg)
The belated Tokyo Olympics are right around the bend, and the Golden State Warriors will be very well represented. While superstar Steph Curry opted out of international play this offseason as he preps for the 2021-22 NBA season, defensive star Draymond Green opted in, and was chosen for the 12-player roster where he’ll chase his second gold medal.
He’ll also be reunited with former teammate Kevin Durant, as the Brooklyn Nets star also decided to chase some gold. The other 10 players on the Olympics team are guards Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), and Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), forwards Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks), and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), and center Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat).
Green could figure to play heavily, as right now three of those players are in line to be in the NBA Finals.
There is a scenario, Colangelo concedes, that the United States would only have nine players for its first Olympic game against France if Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker all reach the NBA Finals and the series goes long.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 28, 2021
But Green isn’t the only Warrior headed to Tokyo, for Team USA or for other countries. His head coach, Steve Kerr, will act as an assistant coach for Team USA, which we’ve known for a while. The rest of the coaching staff features head coach Gregg Popovich (head coach, San Antonio Spurs), and assistant coaches Jay Wright (head coach, Villanova) and Lloyd Pierce (most recently head coach of the Atlanta Hawks).
Also headed to the Olympics is Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown, who will act as the head coach of the Nigerian national team.
But the Warriors might also send a few other players, depending on how qualifying shakes out. Eight teams have already qualified (Argentina, Australia, France, Iran, and Spain, in addition to the US, Nigeria, and host country Japan), and four more will be added in the coming days. Those four teams will be chosen from a 16-team tournament that’s about to take place.
Among those 16 teams are Canada, which features Andrew Wiggins and Mychal Mulder, and Italy, featuring Nico Mannion. Should Canada and Italy advance, the Warriors would send four players and two coaches to Tokyo.