The perception that John Calipari prioritized NBA draft picks over NCAA and SEC championships annoyed Kentucky fans during the final years of their untenable marriage, but The former Wildcats coach excelled at taking his players to the next level and setting them up for success.
If you need proof of that fact, look no further than the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Team USA Basketball's roster, officially announced Wednesday morning, includes three former Kentucky players: Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat. are connected.
No other school has more than one player on its 11-man roster.
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Davis, Booker and Adebayo all played at Kentucky under Calipari, each staying with the program for just one season before heading to the NBA. Davis is the most skilled player of the trio, winning National Player of the Year in 2012 while leading the Wildcats to their only title under Calipari.
This will be each athlete's second time representing the United States at the Olympics. Davis, who is only three months removed from his last game at Kentucky, was part of the team that won gold at the 2012 Olympics, while Booker and Adebayo will be competing at the 2020 Olympics (scheduled to take place in 2021). He was a member of the team that won the gold medal. Impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic).
Under Calipari, who resigned earlier this month to become the new head coach at the University of Arkansas, Kentucky has 35 first-round NBA draft picks and 10 players who have appeared in at least one NBA All-Star Game. There was.
The Wildcats have the most first-round draft picks in history with 58.
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Team USA Basketball Roster 2024
The 2024 Team USA basketball roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics is as follows:
- lebron james, los angeles lakers
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Davidson)
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns (Texas)
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (Kansas State)
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers (Kentucky)
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (Kentucky)
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (Georgia)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (Duke)
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat (Kentucky)
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers (Iowa State University)
- Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics (UCLA)