Draymond is not upset about Team USA’s Olympic exclusion

Speaking to the media for the first time since being left out of the Team USA men’s basketball pool, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green expressed on Monday that he holds no resentment or negative feelings about the situation. He intends to support the American team as they compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer.

Grant Hill, the director of Team USA Basketball, recently cited Green’s on-court behavior and two NBA suspensions during the 2023-24 NBA season as factors contributing to his exclusion from the roster.

From Green’s perspective, however, he believes that the depth and skill level of the players chosen for the pool were likely the primary determining factors.

“I’d like to think that there are some players in that pool who are simply better than me,” Green told reporters after Monday’s practice at Chase Center. “I didn’t expect there to be so many outstanding players in the pool, as it hasn’t been the case in the last few Olympic cycles. Suddenly, you look up, and it’s a ‘who’s who’ list.

“I’m not naive. You go with the best and figure it out.”

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Despite playing crucial roles in the 2016 and 2020 USA Olympic teams that secured gold medals, Draymond Green was noticeably absent from the pool of players eligible for the 2024 squad.

Green is not alone in this exclusion, as other athletes who participated in the 2020 Olympics, including Jerami Grant, Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, JaVale McGee, and Khris Middleton, also did not receive invitations for the 2024 team.

The current pool features an impressive lineup of NBA All-Stars, including Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, De’Aaron Fox, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Bobby Portis, and Jayson Tatum, all being considered for roster spots.

While expressing his disappointment in not being selected, Green acknowledged the inherent process. He reflected on the unexpected opportunity to play in two more Olympics than anticipated, resulting in two additional gold medals.

Green remarked that being left off the roster, and the subsequent attention it garnered, can be viewed as a form of recognition and compliment in itself.

Being part of the conversation where people notice my absence from the list means a lot to me,” remarked Green. “I don’t take it lightly. USAB has been supportive, providing me with incredible opportunities to compete in the Olympics and secure gold medals—experiences I wouldn’t trade for anything.

While playing in a third Olympics would have been a great experience, I won’t pretend that if the same talented players were on the list in 2016, I would have had the initial opportunity. You take the positives when things go your way, and you accept the challenges when they don’t. That’s the nature of it.”

Not making it onto the team hasn’t dampened Green’s affection or connection to Team USA. His longstanding history with the national team prevents him from adopting a negative outlook.

“No ill feelings on my part,” Green affirmed. “I’ll wholeheartedly support those guys because I’m part of the brotherhood. Whether or not I compete in this Olympics, I remain a member of that brotherhood, and I’ll be cheering for them.”