Bradley Beal, Devin Booker commit to Team USA
FILE — Devin Booker #31 of the United States drives to the basket against Khris Middleton #54 of the United States during a practice session at the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s National Team minicamp at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV on July 27, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker have committed to join the 12-man Team USA roster for the Tokyo Olympics, multiple outlets reported Friday.
The Athletic reported that Beal will join previously committed players Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
ESPN reported Booker’s addition to the roster, which remains a work in progress.
Green played on the 2016 team that won the gold in Rio de Janeiro, but this would mark the first Summer Games appearance for Beal, Booker, Lillard and Tatum.
FILE — Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards celebrates against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Capital One Arena on January 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
Beal, 27, averaged 31.3 points per game in the 2020-21 season, second only to the Warriors’ Stephen Curry (32.0). A three-time All-Star, Beal has career averages of 22.0 points, 4.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds in his 605 career games, all in Washington.
Booker, 24, averaged 25.6 points, 4.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds and earned his second straight All-Star selection in 2020-21. He has led the Suns to the Western Conference finals, where they await the winner of the Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Clippers series.
The Olympics, delayed one year because of the coronavirus pandemic, are set to start July 23. Team USA will debut two days later in a group-stage matchup against France.
