Mitchell, Conley Named Finalists For USA Olympic Team
Mar 11, 2021, 10:40 AM | Updated: 11:56 am
Donovan Mitchell #5 of USA goes to the basket during FIBA World Cup 2019 Games 7-8 match between the United States and Poland at Cadillac Arena on September 14, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
(Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley have been named finalists for Team USA at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games. The Utah Jazz guards are two of 57 finalists to earn the distinction ahead of the July tournament.
Mitchell represented Team USA at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019 and was expected to compete for a spot on the Olympic roster before the games were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US was eliminated at the FIBA tournament by Jazz center Rudy Gobert and the French National Team, but qualified for the 2020 games for placing second in the FIBA Americas tournament.
Mitchell was the second-leading scorer on the FIBA USA team, averaging 13.1 points per game on an efficient 46 percent shooting from the floor and 40 percent from the three-point line. The guard also handed out 5.0 assists and grabbed 4.3 rebounds per game during his eight appearances.
Tokyo Awaits.
57 athletes, including 16 Olympians, are #USABMNT finalists for the @Tokyo2020 Olympic Games
»» https://t.co/PeJ8XsZT6V pic.twitter.com/YjXzGtRHM7
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) March 11, 2021
Conley was named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball National Team but didn’t compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
Team USA is led by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, while assistant coaches include Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, former Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce, and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright.
Former Weber State guard Damian Lillard is a finalist for the 12-man roster, as is former University of Utah forward Kyle Kuzma.
Mitchell and Conley aren’t the only Jazz players hoping to represent their countries at the Tokyo Games.
USA Basketball announces the 57 finalists for the U.S. men’s Olympic team: pic.twitter.com/uu7ZbULVU5
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) March 11, 2021
Gobert and the French National Team qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing third at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Similarly, Joe Ingles and Team Australia, also qualified by finishing fourth at the World Cup.
Bojan Bogdanovic’s Croatian team can still qualify for the Olympics during a tournament being held in his home country beginning June 29. The forward could still be playing with the Jazz if the team makes a deep run into the NBA playoffs.
The rescheduled Olympic Games are being held July 23-Aug. 8 in Tokyo, Japan. Twelve nations will compete in the men’s basketball competition that will be held at the Saitama Super Arena.
