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Anthony Edwards Selected to Stacked USA Olympics Team and He Wants to Start

Originally posted on Minnesota Sports Fan
By Ezra Greenman | Last updated 4/16/24

Anthony Edwards recently wrapped up his best season yet, one that pushed him into and around NBA MVP conversations and helped propel the Minnesota Timberwolves to their second-best record in franchise history.

His efforts not only helped secured the team’s spot in the Western Conference playoffs but he was the driving force in landing the the West’s 3-seed, the second highest in franchise history.

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards selected to stacked USA olympic roster

To add to an already incredible year, news broke Monday evening that Edwards is one of the 11 members of Team USA who are being finalized for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris tonight. It’s a huge deal for Ant and a chance to show on a global stage that he belongs alongside (if not in front of) the best basketball players in the world.

Those who are joining Edwards on Team USA include LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and Anthony Davis, making up undoubtedly one of the most stacked American Olympic rosters since The Dream Team.

Sources with @joevardon: Team USA is finalizing 11 of its 12-man Olympic roster:

LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo and Tyrese Haliburton.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2024

It’s an incredible opportunity for Edwards to learn from and play alongside some of the greatest players of all time, and fans can’t wait to see what this powerhouse team achieves on the Olympic stage.

Anthony Edwards is gearing up for another stint representing the USA, this time at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Last summer, he led the 2023 USA FIBA World Cup team, where he quickly became the alpha dog for an underwhelming roster that managed a disappointing fourth place finish.

On that team, he shared the court with Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, Mikel Bridges and Jalen Brunson, all formidable players in their own right. But that team doesn’t belong in the same sentence, let alone on the same floor as the one he will play with in Paris.

Ant wants to start for Team USA in Paris

Don’t expect Ant to be satisfied with making the Olympic roster, though. Last month, Shams reported that Edwards indeed has his eyes set on a starting spot for Team USA, no matter how stacked the roster ends up being.

"[Anthony Edwards] is someone that's been described to me as a guy that will be on the 2024 USA Basketball Olympic team in Paris…I'm told Anthony Edwards fully wants to go and compete to start on this team."@ShamsCharania on Anthony Edwards.

: https://t.co/wdT8I0ST8g pic.twitter.com/QkeUtVsQOI
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 19, 2024

It’s tough to say if Anthony Edwards will be able to secure a starting spot on such a stacked roster. If we assume LeBron, Steph, Durant and Embiid are four of the five starters, that means Ant will have to beat out Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker.

But then again, this is Anthony Edwards we’re talking about. Never doubt Ant, when he puts his mind to something. If he wants to show Steve Kerr he deserves a starting role, beating Booker’s Suns and advancing to the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs would be a good place to start.

The 2024 Olympics are slated to kick off on July 26th and wrap up on August 11th. This means Edwards will have a solid window to reset and prepare for his Olympic journey before diving back into the NBA action for the 2024-25 season.