After coming up short in the FIBA World Cup this past summer, Team USA is looking to bounce back for the 2024 Paris Olympics with some old familiar faces — possibly including one former Trojan.
Previous USC basketball player and six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan recently said in an interview with Mark Medina of SportsKeeda, “I’m always for it. I’d love to be a part of it. I’d love to be able to represent the country again. It’s definitely an honor. If I’m asked to be part of the pool that can compete for it, I’m definitely in.”
DeRozan, 33, has spent his last two seasons with the Chicago Bulls where he was selected as an All-Star in back-to-back seasons. Last season, he averaged 24.5 points on an efficient 50.4% from the field, ranking as the second best percentage in his 14-year career. He also grabbed 4.5 rebounds and dished 5.1 assists per game.
In one year at USC, DeRozan was a Pac-12 All-Freshman and led the Trojans to their first ever Pac-12 Tournament title. His play as a freshman got him selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors.
The Los Angeles native was part of the gold-medal team in the 2016 Rio Olympics, coming off the bench as a scoring option for the second unit with his staple midrange jump shot.
After the NBA’s media day on Tuesday, DeRozan wasn’t the only one to express interest in getting back on the court to represent the country. Golden State’s Steph Curry, Lakers’ Lebron James, and Suns’ Kevin Durant were among the stars wanting to return to the global stage.
“I will play in the Olympics next year,” Durant said on Sun’s media day.
Team USA has come away with the gold in the last four Olympics. For a lot of the older stars in the league like DeRozan, this could be a final chance to taste gold.
The Paris Olympics will begin July 26, 2024.