Jalen Rose says Kevin Love is only on Team USA’s Olympic roster due to ‘tokenism’

By David Akerman
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Updated: June 25, 2021

Team USA recently completed its roster for the Tokyo Olympics, and former NBA player Jalen Rose made it clear that he has an issue with Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love being on the roster.

Despite being excited for Olympic hoops, @JalenRose is disappointed in Team USA's token selection of Kevin Love. pic.twitter.com/VgKUeRicAB
— Jalen & Jacoby (@JalenandJacoby) June 24, 2021

“Kevin Love is on the team because of tokenism,” said Rose. “Don’t be scared to make an all-Black team representing the United States of America. I’m disappointed by that. Anybody that watched the league this year knows Kevin Love did not have a stellar season, was not the best player on his team and did not necessarily deserve to be on this squad. I’m not gonna take him off the squad and not put somebody else on it. I’m gonna tell you whose spot that should be. That should be a young man that was born in the Bahamas, that as a McDonald’s All-American played in high school and college in Phoenix, Arizona. Deandre Ayton should have Kevin Love’s spot, and I’m disappointed in Team USA for not having the courage to send an all-Black team to the Olympics.”

Love didn’t have the best season of his career last season as he struggled with injuries, only appearing in 25 games while averaging 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from beyond the arc.

It doesn’t seem as if the 32-year-old Love is going to play a big role on the court for Team USA during the Olympics. It’s certainly possible that the team brought him in for his experience as he was part of the team that won gold during the 2012 Olympics.

Regardless of whether or not Love plays, it’s clear that Rose does not like the fact that Love will be on the roster.

Love has yet to respond to Rose’s comments.