In honor of the NBA 2016-17 season tipping off this week, TeamUSA.org is highlighting the 12 members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. You watched them win the nation’s third straight Olympic gold medal this summer in Rio, now see which teams they’ll suit up with this as they go head-to-head this season in search of more hardware.
1) Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony left the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as Team USA’s all-time leading scorer and the only U.S. men’s basketball player to compete at four Games. He averaged 12.1 points per game and was featured in all eight of Team USA's contests. The Brooklyn native is suiting up for his 15th season in the NBA and his sixth with the New York Knicks since being traded to the team in 2011. Anthony was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets out of Syracuse University in the 2003 NBA Draft.
2) Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks
Rio marked Harrison Barnes’ first Olympic appearance. Featured in four games for Team USA, Barnes averaged 4.3 points per game and played a vital role off the bench in the Americans' gold-medal campaign. He was drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors out of North Carolina University in the 2012 NBA Draft, and is starting his fifth NBA season and his first with the Dallas Mavericks.
3) Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Competing at his first Olympics, Jimmy Butler was featured in all eight games for Team USA and averaged 5.6 points per game paired with an impressive .944 shooting percentage from behind the free-throw line. The 2016-17 season will mark Butler's sixth. He has spent his entire career with the Chicago Bulls after being drafted 30th overall out of Marquette University in the 2011 NBA Draft.
4) DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
DeMarcus Cousins helped Team USA strike gold at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and again in Rio. In Brazil, he competed in all eight games for Team USA and started in four. Cousins was second on the team in field goal percentage (.614) and collected an average of 9.1 points per game. The 2016-17 NBA campaign will be Cousins' seventh season with the Sacramento Kings after being drafted by the team fifth overall out of the University of Kentucky in the 2010 NBA Draft.
5) DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
Like Cousins, DeRozan also played on the 2014 U.S. World Cup team before making his Olympic debut in Rio, where he played in seven of the eight games and producded an average of 6.6 points per game. The 27-year-old is gearing up for his eighth season with the Toronto Raptors. He was drafted by the Raptors ninth overall out of the University of Southern California in the 2009 NBA Draft. After leading his team to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals and winning gold in Rio, DeRozan will look to build upon a successful 2016 season in hopes of bringing the Raptors to their first championship appearance.
6) Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
In the 2016-17 NBA campaign, all eyes will be fixed on the Golden State Warriors and their newest addition, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant. After choosing to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant will look to build off a second straight successful Olympic campaign in hopes to bring another championship back to Oakland. Durant was featured in all eight games in Rio and led the team in scoring with an average of 19.4 points per game and shot exceptionally well from behind the three-point line (.581). Durant is preparing for his 10th NBA season since being drafted second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics out of Texas University in the 2007 NBA Draft.
7) Paul George, Indiana Pacers
After a horrific leg injury in 2014 that kept him out of the World Cup, Paul George's return as one of the premier defenders in the NBA was profiled specifically at the Rio Olympic Games. At his first Games, George played in all eight games and started in two. He landed an average of 11.2 points per game paired with 4.5 rebounds. This marks his seventh NBA season with the Indiana Pacers since being drafted by the team 10th overall out of Fresno State University in the 2010 NBA Draft.
8) Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
After winning gold at his first Olympic appearance, Draymond Green will seek his second NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors after claiming the title in 2015. He averaged 1.9 points per game in Rio, playing in all eight games. The Michigan State University alum is gearing up for his fifth season with the Golden State Warriors since being drafted by the team 35th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.
9) Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
2016 could not have gone better for Kyrie Irving as he was a champion both with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Team USA, becoming the fourth American to capture both in the same year. After helping orchestrate Cleveland's first NBA championship, he averaged 11.4 points per game en route to Olympic gold. The 24-year-old is preparing for his sixth NBA season since being drafted by the Cavaliers first overall out of Duke University in the 2011 NBA Draft.
10) DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
DeAndre Jordan led the U.S. men’s basketball team in field goal percentage (.742) and collected an average of 7.4 points per game in Rio. At his first Games, he tied a 12-year record that was previously held by Tim Duncan when he collected 16 rebounds in the semifinal win over Spain on Aug. 19. Jordan is preparing of his ninth NBA season with the Los Angeles Clippers since being drafted 35th overall out of Texas A&M in the 2008 NBA Draft.
11) Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry averaged 5.0 points per game in Rio at his first appearance with Team USA. The 30-year-old will look to use the Olympic momentum to carry over to the 2016-17 NBA season as the Toronto Raptors aim to return to the Eastern Conference Finals. This is Lowry’s fifth season with the Raptors and 12th in the NBA since being drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies 24th overall out of Villanova University in the 2006 NBA Draft.
12) Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Klay Thompson has become used to the word gold. He is three-for-three in gold medals with the U.S. national team, claiming titles at the 2009 U-19 world championship, 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games, and also helped the Golden State Warriors to the trophy in 2015. In Rio, Thompson was featured in eight games and started six, averaging 9.1 points per game. Thompson is looking to make to a third straight NBA Finals appearance this upcoming season with fellow USA Basketball teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. 2016-17 marks his sixth season with the Golden State Warriors since being drafted by the team 11th overall out of Washington State University in the 2011 NBA Draft.
