Grant Hill, the managing director of the United States men's basketball team, said the decision to release the team's roster happened to coincide with the United States Olympic Committee's weeklong event in New York City commemorating the Paris Olympics being 100 days away.
But, Hill said, the decision also stemmed from another, more important reason: He and the rest of Team USA's leadership already had the group of 12 players they wanted for this year's team in place.
"We knew," Hill said on a conference call Wednesday morning. "We didn't necessarily plan it that way, but we knew this was the team that we wanted and we also know that there'll be a lot of interest and a lot of people who will want to be along for this incredible journey we're about to be on.