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Former Colorado Buffaloes guard Derrick White has been named as a finalist for the 2020 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, per an announcement on Monday. White is part of 44 players competing to make the cut to represent Team USA later this year in Toyko, Japan.
White has spend three years in the NBA and has averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 50 games with the San Antonio Spurs this season. If selected, the Colorado Springs, Colo. native would become the third former Buffs player to suit up for the US in the Olympics. Burdette Haldorson and Bob Jeangerard won gold on the 1956 team. Haldorson repeated that feat four years later with the 1960 squad.
White was a member of the 2019 US World Cup team that finished 7th place in China. It is worth noting that many star players decided against playing, so there was room for young players like White, Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell.
The USA National Team coaching staff is led by White’s current head coach Gregg Popovich. Serving as assistants are Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright.
The U.S. men have collected a medal in all 18 Olympics in which they have competed, including 15 gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals. The Americans own an impressive 138-5 all-time, win-loss record (.963 winning percentage) in Olympic action, and since NBA players began representing the United States since 1992 featuring the “Dream Team”, the USA is 53-3 in seven Olympics, capturing six gold medals and one bronze medal.
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games are being held July 24-Aug. 9 in Tokyo, Japan. Twelve nations will compete in the 2020 Olympic men’s basketball competition that will be held at the Saitama Super Arena. In addition to host Japan, nations qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s basketball competition include Argentina, Australia, France, Greece, Serbia and Spain.
The list of finalists of 44 Team USA finalists can be found here.