Paul George, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this offseason, opened up about his snub from the Team USA squad for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The 34-year-old forward expressed his disappointment and his hope of making the national team.
“Steve Kerr came up to me right after we played the Warriors in LA and was like, ‘you got any interest in being on Team USA?’ Hell yea!” George said on the show 7PM in Brooklyn, a Wave Sports + Entertainment Original, hosted by former NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
George explained how he thought he was part of the group after Kerr’s approach. He said his team reached out to Team USA and Grant Hill, expressing his desire to play if he finished the season healthy.
However, George did not receive an invitation. “I’m standing on the ground and this guy gets a jersey, and that guy gets a jersey, and I’m like, when are they gonna hit me?” he remarked.
George recounted running into Grant Hill during the playoffs in Dallas, where Hill told him it didn’t happen this year. George acknowledged the situation, saying, “I understood it. I’m not going to be sorry 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.”
George reflected on his previous experience with Team USA, particularly the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he won gold. He emphasized how much he had learned and grown as a player from that experience.
George mentioned that despite the snub not hurting him deeply, he certainly wanted the opportunity. “To have gone through it already, and it was a blast, and I learned so much,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it hurts, but I for sure wanted to do it.”
