USA Basketball has announced that Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors forward and two-time Olympic gold medalist, will not be included in the pool of 41 players vying for a spot on the United States team for the Paris Olympics. The decision was explained by Grant Hill, the managing director of the men's national team, citing Green's recent on-court conduct as the primary factor.

While acknowledging Green's valuable contributions to the national team, including helping secure Olympic gold in 2016 and 2021, USA Basketball could not overlook his two on-court suspensions this season. In November, Green received a five-game suspension for grabbing Minnesota's Rudy Gobert around the neck, followed by an indefinite ban after striking Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic in the face in December. Consequently, Green missed a total of 16 games for the Warriors.

Hill expressed respect and sensitivity towards the challenges Green is currently facing, both on and off the court, and emphasized USA Basketball's commitment to supporting him on his journey. However, they believe that playing over the summer would not provide Green with the best opportunity to address these issues.

Although Green is one of four NBA players with multiple Olympic gold medals, he joins several other previous gold medalists who did not make the initial 41-player list for this summer's Olympics. Out of the 26 active NBA players with gold medals, only 13 are included in the pool.

Hill's decision to exclude Green from the list marked the beginning of the challenging process ahead for USA Basketball. After a thorough evaluation, the 41-player list will eventually be trimmed down to a final 12-person Olympic team. Among the potential candidates are reigning MVP Joel Embiid and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.

USA Basketball aims to finalize the roster during the NBA playoffs, with a likely announcement in May. All 41 players on the initial list have expressed their interest in representing their country. Notably, the group boasts 24 former NBA All-Stars, amassing a combined 131 All-Star selections.

The team will gather in Las Vegas for camp in early July, followed by their first exhibition game against Canada on July 10, as they begin their preparations for the Paris Olympics.

As the selection process unfolds, Hill acknowledges the difficulty of narrowing down the list from 41 to just 12 players. He remains aware that unforeseen circumstances can significantly impact the final outcome, and believes that the coming months will be filled with unpredictable developments leading up to the ultimate decision.

In the meantime, Green will continue his journey on and off the court, with USA Basketball voicing their support for him during this challenging period.