On this team, he is a reserve center — a “versatile” and “unconventional” one, according to Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski — who will be asked to shoot the three and spread the floor in a limited role now that the U.S. team is playing without injured or missing big men Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin and Lamar Odom.

On this team, he is playing for his country and playing for gold, just as he did with the 2010 U.S. team that won the World Championship in Turkey.

“It definitely means a lot,” (Kevin) Love said about being one of 12 chosen to represent the United States. “I was a kid who grew up not only watching the Olympics for the basketball, but also everything else included. It was a way to feel patriotic and part of the country. You don’t necessarily need to be a sports fan to watch the Olympics.”

via Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune