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James Harden, Russell Westbrook Named Finalists for 2020 Olympic Team

James Harden and Russell Westbrook are among the 44 finalists for Team USA's roster in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Michael Shapiro|
James Harden, Russell Westbrook Named Finalists for 2020 Olympic Team
James Harden, Russell Westbrook Named Finalists for 2020 Olympic Team

Rockets guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook were two of the 44 players selected as Team USA finalists for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Monday. 

The final 12-man roster for the 2020 Olympics (which begin on July 24) will be announced "later this year," per USA Basketball. Those who are selected to the team will be led by Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, with Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce and Jay Wright serving as assistants.

Harden and Westbrook were both members of Team USA in 2012, when the Americans took home gold in London. Just four active American players enter 2020 with multiple Olympic medals, led by Carmelo Anthony, who has three gold medals and one bronze medal. LeBron James is a three-time Olympic medalist. 

Harden discussed the chance to play in the 2020 Olympics in September. 

"That’s one of my goals to represent the USA and represent this beautiful country in the games,” Harden said at Rockets Media Day in Houston.

The Rockets have one other Olympian on their roster aside from their dynamic duo. Tyson Chandler won a gold medal in 2012, protecting the paint as the United States won its second straight gold medal. Chandler was not on the 2016 Olympic preliminary roster. Harden and Westbrook were both named finalists before withdrawing their names from consideration. 

The United States will enter Tokyo following three straight Olympic gold medals. Team USA also won three consecutive gold medals in 1992, 1996 and 2000, but they slipped to a bronze medal finish in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

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Michael Shapiro
MICHAEL SHAPIRO

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