Toronto Raptors All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan has committed to play for Team USA at the Rio 2016 Olympics this summer.
This report from league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports, that DeMar DeRozan will indeed join the U.S. team. This comes in just hours after his teammate Kyle Lowry agreed to join the U.S. Men's National team this summer.
DeRozan and Lowry Led Way For Toronto
DeRozan who was also named an All-Star with his teammate Kyle Lowry this past season, looks to be the only duo from the same team to play for Team USA. The two had career-high years, with DeRozan averaging 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and four assists per game.
He and Kyle Lowry led the Toronto Raptors to a franchise-record 56 wins, 32 wins at home, 24 wins on the road and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in their franchise.
The two decided to play for the U.S. team as many players withdrew their invitation to play for the summer games. Those being two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry, Clippers' Chris Paul, Thunder's Russell Westbrook, Pelicans' Anthony Davis, Rockets' James Harden, Trailblazers' Damian Lillard and much more.
Those who withdrew their invitation to play in the Rio Olympics opened up a spot for DeRozan and others such as DeAndre Jordan and Jimmy Butler.
The other notables who withdrew decided to rest during the offseason or not attend due to the recent Zika virus outbreak in Brazil and many parts of South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The U.S. team begin their Rio training camp next month in Las Vegas, with the Rio 2016 Olympics commencing on Aug. 5 and ending on Aug. 21. The U.S. will be looking to win their third straight gold medal and sixth in the last seven Olympics.