Grant Hill excited about USA roster and chances to win in Paris

COLORADO SPRINGS (USA) - One consequence of the USA's fourth place finish at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is that the Americans will be hungrier for success at the Olympics.

It's happened before. The 'Redeem Team' had to push the reset button after the USA claimed the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics, although that showing in Athens came two years after a Quarter-Finals exit at the World Cup in Indianapolis as well.

The USA did redeem itself back then, first winning the FIBA AmeriCup 2007 to qualify for the Beijing Games and then reaching the top of the podium in China, then at the World Cup 2010 in Istanbul, followed by first-place finishes at the 2012 London Olympics, the World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The USA also had to hit back after the World Cup 2019 in China, where it lost to France in the Quarter-finals. They did bounce back at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite an early setback to France, the USA won the rest of their outings, including against the French in the Gold Medal Game.

Now, after a fourth-place finish at World Cup 2023, Grant Hill, the managing director of the USA men's national team, is optimistic that the squad will get back to the top, in France.

"I think the team that we can assemble wants the challenge," he said. "They want to go against the best. They ultimately want to win."

The USA announced on 23 January a 41-man player pool for 2024, from which the Olympic Games squad is expected to come from.

"I'll be honest, I didn't think we’d be at 41,” Hill said. “It was really hard to get to 41, and I imagine it will be very difficult to get to 12."

It includes multiple champions of past USA campaigns and NBA title-winning teams and a very impressive list of superstars.

“We have to zero in when putting together those pieces to a puzzle," Hill said. "What are the complementary pieces? The players who fit, players who really will give us the best opportunity for success …

"Assuming everyone stays healthy and everyone's interest level continues as it is, we have a chance to have a very special group, a team that has a lot of star power, but also a team that just has a lot of balance, a lot of versatility and will give us an opportunity of winning a gold medal in Paris."

Hill identifies three distinct player categories from this extended list, all vying for a spot at the training camp.

"You have some young guys who may have been a part of the World Cup team, guys who are sort of emerging and haven't quite found or are not quite in their prime years," Hill said. "Then you have some guys who maybe are in their prime years, and then we have some legacy guys, guys who have just incredible resumes (and) have done everything imaginable in the game of basketball. In a perfect world, you'd like to have some balance and you'd like to have some representation from each bucket."

Draymond Green, an Olympic gold medalist from the 2016 and 2021 teams, was not included in the pool as a result of his two suspensions in the NBA this season but feels like the 42nd name on the list.

Not that he's given up hope of playing for the USA, who are coached by his Golden State Warriors boss Steve Kerr.

"If I got a call because some guys dropped off that list that's just unforeseen for whatever reasons," Green said on his Draymond Green Show. "And then I need to fill a spot on that team, guess what?

"I'll be ready with my bags packed and go play in my third Olympics because I'm not too big to be second."

FIBA