ESPN Analyst Says US Olympic Team Added Token White Player To Its Roster

The token white player is now trending. Apparently America is too afraid to send an all-black basketball team to the Olympics, according to one ESPN analyst who believes the team added a touch of white as to not scare anyone. Former NBA player Jalen Rose is always speaking his mind, but maybe this time he could have kept his thoughts to himself.

“I’m excited about the roster, and I assume, and I know, we’re going to win the gold. But I’m disappointed in something,” said ESPN sports analyst Jalen Rose during a segment on his show, Jalen & Jacoby, before bashing five-time NBA All-Star Kevin Love, who is white, for having a place on the team.

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Rose said Love is on the team because of “tokenism” and accused the U.S. team of being “scared.”

“I got a word for it. … 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. 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. And I’m not going to take him off the squad and not put somebody else on it. I’m going to tell you whose spot that should be.”

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

Rose argued Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton should have been selected over Love.

“That should be a young man that was born in the Bahamas, that is a McDonald’s All-American, playing 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,” the host said.

In the 2016 Olympics, Team USA had an all-black team so really his argument doesn’t make any sense.

Love also was on the team back in 2012, so he’s grandfathered in, IMO.

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