By Melody Gross 
The US basketball team has already identified eleven of the twelve stars it intends to compete with for a fifth straight gold medal at next summer's Paris Olympics, according to North American network ESPN. Players such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid are among the confirmed names. There is only one spot open in Steve Kerr's squad.
The disappointment of the 2023 World Cup, in which the United States fell no further than an embarrassing fourth-place finish, has NBA stars rallying around a team that will seek its 17th Olympic title, the fifth in a row.
Among the stars already identified is Joel Embiid, a player who was born in Cameroon and holds French citizenship, but chose to play for the United States.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is the most experienced player in the Olympics, having already won three titles, one more than LeBron James, while Curry has never competed in the competition.
Since NBA players began competing in the Olympic tournament in 1992, the year of the famous “Dream Team,” the United States has only failed to win the gold medal once, in Athens 2004, when Argentina won the title.
Already established names for the Olympic Games: