LeBron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook want Team USA spots in 2020 Olympics
Saturday 28 September 2019 08:53, UK
LeBron James, James Harden and Russell Westbrook became the latest NBA superstars to express interest in playing for the United States in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
"I would love to. I have to," James said Friday at the Los Angeles Lakers media day. "I want to stay healthy as well. That's most important."
In Houston, Rockets guard Harden said he wants in, and his team-mate, Russell Westbrook, said he'd like to be considered.
"That's one of my goals to represent the USA and represent this beautiful country in the games," Harden said at the Rockets media day.
Playing without the NBA's best, Team USA finished a disappointing seventh place in the FIBA World Cup earlier this month. One by one, NBA stars dropped off the team, many citing the rigours of a long NBA season.
James, who will be 35 next summer, said the United States needs a turnaround.
"I was not happy about how we did this summer," he said. James has two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012) and one bronze (2004). Harden and Westbrook were part of the 2012 team.
Golden State's Klay Thompson, who won a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics, and Stephen Curry have said they want to be on the Olympic team, as has Portland's Damian Lillard. Neither Curry nor Lillard have played in the Olympics.
Harden and Lillard were among the players who dropped out of the competition for a World Cup roster spot.
