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2012 Team USA Basketball: Durant, Westbrook, Harden Make the Squad

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The 2012 Team USA Basketball final roster has been released. As expected, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook both made the team and they will be joined by their teammate James Harden in London this summer.

Team USA Roster Released | ESPN

Here is the final roster:

Name Position Team
Russell Westbrook Guard Oklahoma City
James Harden Guard Oklahoma City
Chris Paul Guard Los Angeles Clippers
Deron Williams Guard Brooklyn Nets
Kobe Bryant Guard Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant Forward Oklahoma City
LeBron James Forward Miami
Carmelo Anthony Forward New York
Andre Iguodala Forward Philadelphia
Kevin Love Forward Minnesota
Blake Griffin Forward Los Angeles Clippers
Tyson Chandler Center New York

Harden was one of the players who were on the bubble, as he was competing with Eric Gordon for one of the last available spots. Royce Young at Daily Thunder nails it with this comment:

Some seem to be wondering why Harden, but here’s why: With two spots remaining between Andre Iguodala, Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay and Harden, Coach K and Jerry Colangelo went with Iguodala, an elite wing defender and Harden, a versatile ball-handler that can play three spots. Harden can handle, pass, shoot, score and obviously has an incredible ability to blend in well with anyone on the floor. He gives Team USA a fourth point guard, a knock down shooter and a player that will probably fit the international style of basketball extremely well.

Training camp opened this past Friday and will run through next Wednesday. An exhibition game against the Dominican Republic is scheduled for next Thursday.