Nine Assured Of Team USA Spot; Odom Withdraws

TUESDAY, 11:41am: Blake Griffin is expected to take Chris Bosh's spot on the U.S. roster, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. As Goodman adds in a second tweet, that would leave five players competing for the final two spots.

MONDAY, 6:40pm: Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com says Odom's withdrawal is not a done deal yet (Twitter link), but Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida says via Twitter that he spoke with Team USA boss Jerry Colangelo, who confirmed Odom is out. Colangelo also told Tomasson that Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love, Kevin Durant and Tyson Chandler are assured bids (Sulia link). Blake Griffin, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay and Anthony Davis are competing for the final three spots (Twitter link).

5:51pm: Lamar Odom will become the latest player to pull out of Team USA consideration, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Odom, recently acquired by the Clippers in a four-team trade, wants to work with trainers and prepare for the season with his new team. A sprained ankle may keep No. 1 draft pick Anthony Davis out of Olympic action, as we heard today, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are others who've withdrawn from Team USA in the past week.

—–

View Comments (0)