Jalen Rose doesn’t believe Kevin Love deserves to participate in the Summer Olympics with Team USA. Rose thinks it’s a sign of white tokenism. In addition, he also doesn’t feel Love had a season well enough to deserve a spot.
Rose had this to say on his podcast, “Jalen and Jacoby.”
�Kevin Love is on the team because of tokenism. �Don�t be scared to make an all-Black team representing the United States of America. I�m disappointed by that.�
Jalen Rose
Love only played in 25 games this season and only averaged a little more than 12 points per game. Another reason Rose doesn’t believe he deserves a roster spot is because of the numbers Love put up.
�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.�
Jalen Rose
Team USA has Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, and Damian Lillard all committing to play this summer. Love does have experience performing in the Olympics. He was a part of the team that took home the gold back in 2012. However, Rose does not believe Love deserves the spot.
Who deserves the spot?
In addition, Rose mentioned in his podcast that he believes Deandre Ayton deserves the spot over love. Ayton is much younger and is coming off his best season.
�I�m gonna to tell you who�s spot that should be. That should be a young man that was born in the Bahamas, is 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.�
Jalen Rose
Ayton is 24-years-old and is playing a key role in Phoenix’s playoff run. Jalen Rose doesn’t believe Kevin Love deserves the spot. As a result, Rose doesn’t believe Team USA has the courage to send an all-black team to Japan this summer.
