US Adds Blazers’ Lillard to Olympic Basketball Roster Pool

Portland guard Damian Lillard has been added to the U.S. national basketball team pool, giving the Americans 31 players for 12 spots.

Lillard fell just short of a place on the 2014 World Cup of Basketball roster and wasn't among the original 30 candidates for Rio de Janeiro announced last month. But he called USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo recently and said he wanted to remain involved in the program.

Colangelo said in a statement Wednesday that he and U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski feel Lillard is "playing at a very high level" and deserves a spot among the Olympic finalists.

The fourth-year guard is averaging career highs of 24.2 points and 7.3 assists, ranking among the top seven in the NBA in both.