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On Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PT, the full and final roster for the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team will be announced. The roster announcement special will be televised on TNT. All signs and rumors indicate that the 2012 Olympics in London will be the final summer games that will feature the household NBA names that have been a staple since the original Dream Team in 1992. The NBA reportedly wants to focus their superstars' efforts on a soon-to-be-created World Cup of Basketball, so the marquee stars are unlikely to be available for the next Olympics.
Nevertheless, Southern California stars should be well-represented at lest one more time as they prepare to play for the U.S. beginning in July.
Perennial Los Angeles Lakers and Olympics megastar Kobe Bryant is a virtual lock to make the team, as is Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul. Human highlight reel Blake Griffin is also a likely candidate to be selected.
Although players like Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have withdrawn from consideration for the roster due to injuries, there will be no shortage of talent on a team that is likely to be headlined by postseason rivals LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
For more on the Lakers, please visit Silver Screen and Roll. For more on the Clippers, head on over to Clips Nation. And for complete coverage of everything leading up to the summer games, stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated 2012 Olympics hub.
