NEW YORK — Kawhi Leonard was named to the U.S. Olympic basketball team Wednesday, joining 11 teammates whose names leaked out earlier in the week.

But Grant Hill, USA Basketball's managing director, wants to make one thing clear: The Clippers forward and San Diego State alum did not dramatically get the final spot on the roster heading to France this summer.

Here's what happened:

Hill said the 12-man roster culled from a 41-player pool was finalized three weeks ago and unanimously approved by USA Basketball's board. The plan was to unveil it during the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee's media summit in New York, which coincided with 100 days out from opening ceremony at Paris.

They also had the idea, Hill said, "to create a moment for every player … surprise them, welcome them to the team, give them their jersey, make it very formal but do it very quiet, under the radar — which is almost impossible in today's NBA. It was ambitious and slightly delusional."

So Hill began flying around the country for the private jersey presentations, while the Olympic coaches did it with players on their NBA teams. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, an assistant on Steve Kerr's Olympic staff, planned to present a blue No. 8 jersey to Leonard on Tuesday. The Clippers were off Monday.

By then, the rest of the roster had leaked out. Speculation began to swirl about who would get the "final spot." Leonard was mentioned. So was Clippers teammate Paul George and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.

Leonard, though, was on the team all along.

"(Media) put out that we only picked 11," Hill said. "We had picked 12. They just didn't know who that 12th person was. It made it seem like he was an afterthought, that he was last, but that was not the case. We talked to his agent. They were good about it. They understood.

"He's been on board all the way."

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