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[Saba Sports News] Paul George recently shared an intriguing story on the ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ show about his journey with Team USA for the 2024 Olympics. He initially believed he had secured a spot on the team, only to later find out he had been passed over.
“Steve Kerr came to me after we played the Warriors in LA and asked if I had any interest in being on Team USA. I said, ‘Hell yeah, I want to play.’ So, I’m thinking I’m in, like I’m part of that group, you know what I mean? Fast forward, Aaron and my group reached out to Team USA and talked to Grant Hill. They informed them that I was interested. I said, ‘If I finish the season healthy,’ because that was my whole thing in LA—I was getting hurt and not finishing the season. I said, ‘If I finish healthy, hell yeah, I want to play.'”
“Then I’m seeing it on the Gram like this guy’s getting a jersey, they’re giving this guy a jersey. I’m like, ‘Where’s my post? When are they going to hit me up?’ Then, I ran into Grant Hill during the playoffs in Dallas, and he said it just didn’t happen this year.”
“I understood it; obviously, I wasn’t going to be sour about it. But at the same time, it was like, damn, I was looking forward to representing the USA and being part of that team. Having gone through it already, it was a blast. I learned so much and felt like I grew as a player from that process. So, I wouldn’t say I was hurt.”
George explained that he was directly approached by Team USA head coach Steve Kerr about his interest in joining the team, leading him to believe he was part of the roster.
However, his commitment to join Team USA was contingent on finishing the NBA season in good health due to past injuries. He was surprised and disappointed to see other players being announced on social media while he received no confirmation.
An encounter with Grant Hill, the managing director of Team USA, clarified that he would not be included in the roster this year. Despite the setback, George remains appreciative of the opportunity he once had and looks forward to future possibilities.