April 6, 2018 – USA Basketball announced today that Hornets guard Kemba Walker is one of the 35 players selected to make up the 2018-20 USA Men’s National Team roster of players who are expected to attend the July 25-27 USA Men’s National Team minicamp in Las Vegas. It is expected that the official, 12-member 2019 USA World Cup and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams, should the USA qualify to compete in China and Tokyo, will be comprised of players from the 2018-20 USA National Team.
This is the latest recognition for Walker, who has been selected to each of the last two NBA All-Star Games and previously participated in the 2013 USA Basketball Men's National Team mini-camp. During the 2017-18 season, his seventh in Charlotte, the 6-1 guard has become the Hornets career leader in scoring, three-point field goals, free throws, 20-point games, 30-point games and games with multiple three-pointers. Since the start of the 2015-16 season, Walker ranks fifth in the NBA in three-point field goals (649) and eighth in total points (5,249). Including the current campaign, the three-season run gives him three of the top five single-season three-point field goal totals in franchise history and three of the top eight single-season scoring totals.
Along with Walker, the 34 other players selected for the 2018-20 USA Men’s National Team roster are: Harrison Barnes (Dallas Mavericks); Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Jimmy Butler (Minnesota Timberwolves); Mike Conley Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies); DeMarcus Cousins (New Orleans Pelicans); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors); Paul George (Oklahoma City Thunder); Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets); Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors); Blake Griffin (Detroit Pistons); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Tobias Harris (Los Angeles Clippers); Gordon Hayward (Boston Celtics); Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors); CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks); Victor Oladipo (Indiana Pacers); Chris Paul (Houston Rockets); Isaiah Thomas (Los Angeles Lakers); Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); John Wall (Washington Wizards); and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).
“While we do not have an official competition that we need to prepare for in 2018, the selection and announcement of our new pool of national team members and this year’s July minicamp are important first steps in our preparations to defend the FIBA World Cup and Olympic titles we won during the last two quadrenniums,” said USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo. “This year’s minicamp is an opportunity for us to continue and expand the culture, brotherhood and camaraderie that has been built.
“As is shown by the return of 29 past national team players, our pipeline is well developed and it is a key factor in our success. We’re also excited about the new players who have been added to the program and the roster will remain fluid over the next three years as we continue to look for and consider players who can contribute to our program.”
2018-20 USA BASKETBALL MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Managing Director: Jerry Colangelo
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
*Age as of April 6, 2018