LA Lakers’ LeBron James Headlines Team USA Roster; Dallas Mavs’ Kyrie Irving Snubbed?

Mavs superstar Kyrie Irving is reportedly not among the 11-man roster USA Basketball is preparing to send to the Paris Olympics.

Apr 10, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts against the Miami / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Kyrie Irving is committed to leading the Dallas Mavericks, alongside Luka Doncic, to a strong end to the 2023-24 NBA season as they head into a first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Irving was eager to join Team USA for the competition at the Paris Olympics but is left off the reported 11-man finalized roster.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, USA Basketball is close to completing its roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, featuring stars such as Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis. The team is considering leaving one spot open initially. Irving was excluded from the list.

Apr 10, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts against the Miami / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

On Mar. 11, Shams Charania reported on the "Run It Back" show that Irving harbors a "deep desire" to compete for Team USA at the upcoming Paris Olympics this summer.

"I'm told Kyrie Irving has a deep desire to represent his country, represent the USA in the Paris Olympics this summer. He wants to be part of this team," Charania reported.

Irving has a proven history of leading USA Basketball to triumphs, notably winning gold medals at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He also earned the MVP title at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. As a 2016 NBA champion, he could further enhance his illustrious career with another Olympic appearance.

Irving was not selected among USA Basketball's finalized roster despite averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 58 games with a near 50-40-90 season. He is shooting 49.7% from the floor, 41.1% from beyond the arc, and 90.5% on free throws.

It's always difficult to narrow down such an expansive player pool down to just 11 or 12 players. Irving wasn't the only guard excluded from the list that caused controversy, with former Mavs guard and current New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson being another.