JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson being added to Team USA men's basketball roster
JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson have been added as replacements to the Team USA men's basketball roster, USA Basketball announced Friday night.
Johnson and McGee will join Team USA as it tries to recover from a series of setbacks ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which begin in one week.
Bradley Beal and Kevin Love withdrew this week. Love is still recovering from a right calf injury he suffered during the NBA season. Beal, who was placed in the COVID-19 protocol Wednesday, was ruled out of the Olympics on Thursday.
“Our hearts truly break for Brad and Kevin, who did everything asked but for unfortunate and different reasons will be unable to join us in Tokyo,” USA Basketball men’s national team managing director Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. “We welcome Keldon and JaVale to our squad. Keldon has played well during our training camp and in the exhibition games in Las Vegas, and being a member of the San Antonio Spurs he is familiar with the things coach Popovich wants this team to do. JaVale has been involved in our USA National Team program since 2009, and we believe he will offer a valuable inside presence.”
McGee, a 13-year NBA veteran and three-time NBA champion, played 46 games this season for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, averaging 7.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He was named a member of the USA Basketball 2010-12 men's national team and participated in the 2019 USA Basketball men's national team minicamp. He was named a finalist for the 2021 USA national team and U.S. Olympic men's basketball team on March 11.
NEVER MISS A MEDAL: Sign up for our Olympic newsletter now
WANT BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS IN TOKYO? Sign up for Olympic texts to get exclusive access to the Games
Johnson, a 21-year-old forward, has spent two years in the NBA playing for the San Antonio Spurs. He performed well as a role player against Australia Monday, scoring seven points on 60% shooting in 13 minutes.
This is Johnson's first stint on the senior team after playing on the 2018 USA junior national select team for the Nike Hoop Summit. He also participated in the 2017 USA men's junior national team October minicamp.
Team USA's scheduled Friday night exhibition against Australia was canceled "out of an abundance of caution." The status of Saturday's exhibition against the Czech Republic, the last on the schedule, remains unknown.
Beal, a three-time All-Star, played 60 games and averaged a career-high 31.3 points in his ninth season.
Love was part of the 2012 gold-medal squad in London and completed his seventh season with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 202-21. He missed 46 games because of the calf injury.
