Team USA Basketball

USA Basketball is down another player for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

On Monday, Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry announced on his Instagram page that he will not play in the event. He underwent a procedure to repair ligaments in his left thumb in July.

"I was hoping to be available in time to help my country in their quest for gold this upcoming tournament," Lowry wrote. "I love playing for USAB but I have to sit this one out and support the team from home."

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Lowry was hoping to be available for the Red, White and Blue following the procedure, but that will not be the case as the short-handed Americans head into the international competition that starts August 31.

Players pulling out has been the primary storyline for the United States leading up to the event, which takes place in China.

Michael Kaskey-Blomain and Jack Maloney of CBS Sports provided a summary, noting Zion Williamson will not play while Marvin Bagley III, Kevin Love, Damian Lillard, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, Tobias Harris, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Julius Randle, Montrezl Harrell, JJ Redick, Andre Drummond and CJ McCollum have all withdrawn their names from the competition.

Lowry's absence leaves De'Aaron Fox and Kemba Walker at point guard for the Americans, which is still plenty of talent in the backcourt. Donovan Mitchell can serve as another option who can carry the offense and handle the ball as needed.

As for Lowry, he is coming off a championship season with the Raptors and averaged 16.2 points, 7.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals a night in a six-game win over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Now that Kawhi Leonard is a Los Angeles Clipper, Lowry's health will be even more important for Toronto during the 2019-20 campaign.

Mitchell Robinson won't participate in Team USA's intrasquad scrimmage Friday night, according to SNY's Ian Begley, "as a precautionary measure due to a knee ailment."

The New York Knicks center was set to play against the senior men's national team roster for the White team, which is comprised of rising players on the USA Basketball select team. The senior squad is preparing for the FIBA World Cup, which begins Aug. 31 in China.

The matchup will tip at 10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Team USA training camp began in Las Vegas on Monday.

On Thursday, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Robinson's knee injury:

"According to a Team USA source, Robinson suffered a knee injury and missed the first two days of practice, beginning with an informal workout Sunday. He returned for two days, but re-injured the knee Wednesday.

"Robinson was expected to miss Thursday's set of scrimmages and practice. A member of the Knicks training staff is in Vegas with Robinson. According to a source close to Robinson, he's been experiencing 'just soreness,' and the team and his camp are being extra cautious after an MRI turned up clean."

When the 7'1", 240-pound 21-year-old played, he impressed:

Is 7'1 Mitchell Robinson the future of @nyknicks franchise?! @usabasketball pic.twitter.com/BaatKFlNVo

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 6, 2019

Robinson was named to the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie second team after averaging 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 66 games (19 starts).

Fellow All-Rookie honoree Trae Young—also playing with the select team—exited Team USA camp Thursday with a minor eye infection, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

Several stars opted not to participate with Team USA this summer with their eyes toward a wide-open NBA after a busy offseason across the league. The Portland Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum explained why on The Woj Pod with Adrian Wojnarowski:

CJ McCollum talks star USA players and the FIBA World Cup summer on The Woj Pod. https://t.co/BMJqjF3m0f pic.twitter.com/TDjxY5k2MF

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 6, 2019

While Robinson won't play in the World Cup, he and the Knicks still need to be cautious. Kristaps Porzingis is gone from New York, and free agency did not pan out the way the Knicks had hoped, so the last thing the franchise needs is for a crucial building block to tumble in a meaningless scrimmage.

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said Thursday that he turned down Carmelo Anthony's request to play for Team USA in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

According to SI.com's Chris Mannix, Colangelo said he felt it was time to move forward: "I love Carmelo. He made a great contribution. He was a very good international player. But for where we are and what we're doing, that conceivably could have been a distraction. I understand why the request was made. He's trying to reestablish himself. I think that has to be done in the [NBA]."

Anthony is an NBA free agent, as the 35-year-old has gone unsigned since the Chicago Bulls waived him in February. He last played for the Houston Rockets, who traded him in January.

Colangelo said one of Anthony's representatives reached out to let USA Basketball know that Melo had interest in playing for the team.

Anthony is one of the most accomplished players in the history of USA Basketball. He has won four Olympic medals (three gold and one bronze), a World Championship bronze medal and a FIBA Americas Championship gold medal.

In addition to being the only man to win three Olympic golds for Team USA, he is the team's all-time leader in Olympic games played, points and rebounds.

After top stars such as Rockets guard James Harden, Los Angeles Lakers big Anthony Davis, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal pulled out of the World Cup in China, there was some thought that Anthony would be a good fit for Team USA.

Instead, Colangelo has elected to lean on a roster composed primarily of youngsters, such as Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Kyle Kuzma, Jaylen Brown and Myles Turner, and a few veterans.

Melo's trainer, Chris Brickley, said last month on The Breakfast Club (h/t Dani Mohr of the New York Post) that Anthony wants an NBA farewell tour akin to the one Dwyane Wade had with the Miami Heat last season.

Playing for the U.S. and showing he has something left in the tank could have gone a long way toward convincing a team to take a chance on him.

The 17-year veteran is a 10-time All-Star and one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, but he hasn't proved that he can thrive in a bench role, which is what he would almost certainly be relegated to at this juncture of his career.

As far as Team USA is concerned, look for veterans Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, Brook Lopez, PJ Tucker and Thaddeus Young to step into the leadership roles at the FIBA World Cup, which begins Aug. 31.

USA Basketball has a much different look as it prepares for this year's FIBA World Cup in China.

Longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski is gone. Several top players, including James Harden, Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard, have decided not to play. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are also out with injuries.

So as USA Basketball enters its exhibition schedule ahead of the World Cup, which gets underway August 31, there are some questions surrounding the team, now led by longtime San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Will the U.S. win the World Cup for the third straight time after their victories in 2010 and 2014? Or will another country, such as Canada or Spain, unseat the two-time defending champions?

The United States' five exhibition games, beginning with Friday's intrasquad scrimmage between USA White and USA Blue, should help give an indication of how the team will fare in China.

Heading into Friday's match, here's a look at information for that game, USA Basketball's roster and more.

                  

USA Basketball Scrimmage Information

Date: Friday, Aug. 9

Time: 10 p.m. ET

TV: NBA TV

Live Stream: NBA.com/NBATV

           

USA Basketball Roster

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat center/forward

Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics forward

Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers forward

Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks center

Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors guard

Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks forward

Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz guard

Mason Plumlee, Denver Nuggets center

Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics guard

Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics forward

P.J. Tucker, Houston Rockets forward

Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers center

Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics guard

Thaddeus Young, Chicago Bulls forward

                

Preview

There are 15 players on USA Basketball's roster, but Popovich will need to whittle it down to 12 by Aug. 17. That means there will be two exhibition games before the deadline: Friday's intrasquad scrimmage and a game against Spain on Aug. 16.

The U.S. isn't deep at the guard positions, so Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry and Donovan Mitchell should be locks to make the team and will likely be counted on to lead the offense.

This may not be the best group of available American players, with superstars such as LeBron James, Davis and Harden not playing, but Popovich isn't concerned about the level of talent on this year's roster.

Per the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds (h/t the San Francisco Chronicle), he said: 

"We're looking for guys who are competitive, who can handle the discipline it's going to take to get this done, play a team game and basically fall in love with each other and have that empathy so that they feel responsible to each other and depend upon each other. That obviously means you don't need the greatest amount of talent in the world. Too little talent is not a good thing, but we don't have that problem."

The U.S. will face the Czech Republic, Japan and Turkey in Group E, with the top two teams in the section advancing to the second round.

The Americans should have no problem progressing past pool play, and it's likely they will be one of the favorites to win the World Cup.

It should help having Popovich, a five-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Coach of the Year, leading a coaching staff that also includes Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr as an assistant.

"He is so passionate about this project, and he's so well-prepared," Kerr said of Popovich, per Reynolds.

Popovich should get the most out of the talented roster, and a successful run through the FIBA World Cup is likely on the way when the tournament gets underway.

In the wake of several top stars removing themselves from consideration, a pair of young guards are reportedly shining brightest at Team USA training camp ahead of the FIBA World Cup.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and De'Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings have been called the "standouts" by sources close to Team USA through two days of camp.

Jones specifically noted that "nobody has consistently been able to stay in front of Fox."

With guards such as James Harden of the Houston Rockets, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers and Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards dropping out of the tournament, which starts August 31, Mitchell and Fox figure to be key players for the Americans.

After finishing second in the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year voting, the No. 13 overall pick out of Louisville made strides last season. The 22-year-old averaged career highs across the board with 23.8 points, 4.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from deep.

With point guard Mike Conley joining Mitchell and center Rudy Gobert in Utah, the Jazz could be a real factor in the Western Conference next season.

The Kings are another team seemingly on the rise in the West, and Fox's development has been a big reason for that.

As a rookie in 2017-18, the No. 5 overall pick out of Kentucky largely struggled, averaging just 11.6 points and 4.4 assists per game while shooting only 41.2 percent from the floor. Last season, the 21-year-old was one of the NBA's most improved players with 17.3 points, 7.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest. He also shot 45.8 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker will likely be the go-to guy and premier scorer for Team USA, but Mitchell also appears to be in line to start, and Fox should see big minutes as well along with veteran point guard Kyle Lowry.

Team USA is not viewed as a lock to win its third consecutive World Cup due to the sheer amount of talent it has lost in recent weeks, but if young players like Mitchell and Fox perform at a high level, the Americans still have to be considered the favorites in China.

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox was promoted to the Team USA men's basketball roster Monday, and there is reportedly a "good chance" he will make the final 12-man roster.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the news.

Fox, coming off a strong second NBA season, was previously part of the team's training camp roster—a group of players invited to Las Vegas to go against the main roster.

His promotion could be a sign Team USA is not fully comfortable with Kyle Lowry's status. The Toronto Raptors point guard is with the team in Vegas but has not been cleared to play after undergoing thumb surgery. Fox could slot into the backup point guard role behind Kemba Walker, who is the only All-NBA player on the USA roster.

Team USA choosing Fox for the promotion is a vote of confidence for him over Trae Young, who is also on the select team.

Coach Gregg Popovich likely views Fox's defensive presence as being more important on a young roster than Young's elite passing and long-range shooting. Past U.S. teams have been able to dominate with a combination of overwhelming physicality and talent; this roster may have to lock down more on the other end of the floor against experienced teams. 

There are 16 players on the Team USA roster, meaning four players will be left off the team that heads to China for the World Cup, which begins August 31. With a glut of bigs and wings, it's likely that most of the cuts will come from those two areas. Fox's chance to make the roster could be determined by how comfortable Popovich and Co. are with Lowry's injury status. 

If Lowry winds up not being cleared before the roster is finalized, Fox is a lock and might even find himself getting extended playing time. 

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told reporters Sunday that Carmelo Anthony was not among the players considered for the 2019 World Cup team. 

Anthony, who remains a free agent, is the only four-time gold medalist in Olympic basketball history and the most decorated member of USA Basketball. His international resume is so impeccable that some speculated Team USA could bring Melo in to a World Cup team that's struggled to field a roster.

The current roster features just one player (Kemba Walker) who made an All-NBA team last season. Kyle Lowry and Khris Middleton are the only two other All-Stars, and Lowry has not been cleared to practice due to a thumb injury.

More than 50 total invites went out to the biggest names in the league, most of whom declined or withdrew due to scheduling conflicts, injuries or to get ready for the 2019-20 NBA season.

"The focus has to be on who's here—not who's not here," Colangelo said. "A number of the young players in this group have a chance, a real chance, some of them to make this team, some of them to make an impact in the World Cup."

Anthony, meanwhile, remains a player who wants to rewrite his final basketball chapter. He spoke to Stephen A. Smith on First Take last week, opening up on how he felt after being sent home by the Houston Rockets last season.

"That was an ego hit. That was a pride hit," Anthony said. "I started questioning myself after that. Can I still do this? What did I do? I asked him [Rockets general manager Daryl Morey] this. ... He just said it wasn't working out.

"When somebody in power that tells you that they no longer need your services. ... I've been utilizing my services for a long time. For you to tell me you don't need that no more. I honestly felt that I was fired. I felt like [what] other people go through on a day-to-day basis. People get fired. I honestly felt like I got fired."

Anthony said he still believes he can contribute to an NBA team and was incredulous at the notion he's no longer good enough to be part of a rotation, even as a role player. Team USA understandably wants to use the World Cup to develop young talent who could grow to be integral parts of future Olympic teams, something Anthony clearly is not.

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo doesn't "have any angst" surrounding the FIBA World Cup, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

"We're going to have some fun," Colangelo added.

The tournament begins Aug. 31, and the roster representing the U.S. in China has gone through many alterations in recent weeks. Notable players who have removed themselves from participation include James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kevin Love, Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, CJ McCollum, Tobias Harris and JJ Redick.

The general consensus is that, after an eventful NBA offseason that gave the league more parity heading into next season than has been present in recent seasons, players would rather dedicate the offseason to training for their respective franchises.

However, Colangelo told the New York Times' Marc Stein he "would like to keep the focus on who is there, not on who's not there."

By Aug. 17, head coach Gregg Popovich will finalize the 12-man roster.

As of now, though, those who have accepted an invitation are Bam Adebayo, Harrison Barnes, Jaylen Brown, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Mason Plumlee, Marcus Smart, Thaddeus Young, Khris Middleton, Kyle Lowry, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, PJ Tucker, Myles Turner and Kemba Walker.

The U.S. claimed gold at the last World Cup in 2014 under then-head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Team USA announced its updated roster for training camp ahead of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup on Thursday following a series of high-profile departures in recent weeks.

The Boston Celtics' Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum, Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell, Los Angeles Lakers' Kyle Kuzma and Toronto Raptors' Kyle Lowry headline the 17-player group. 

USA Basketball men's national team managing director Jerry Colangelo and head coach Gregg Popovich, who's inherited the program from longtime Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski after leading the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA titles, were forced to overhaul the roster.

The Houston Rockets' James Harden and Eric Gordon, Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson, Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal, Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris, San Antonio Spurs' DeMar DeRozan and Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love withdrew from camp.

That only scratches the surface of the players missing for the Americans since other superstars like the Lakers' LeBron James, Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry weren't listed on the preliminary roster.

Here's a look at the complete squad:

G: Kyle Lowry

G: Donovan Mitchell

G: Marcus Smart

G: Kemba Walker

F: Harrison Barnes

F: Jaylen Brown

F: Montrezl Harrell

F: Kyle Kuzma

F: Khris Middleton

F: Julius Randle

F: Jayson Tatum

F: PJ Tucker

F: Thaddeus Young

C: Andre Drummond

C: Brook Lopez

C: Mason Plumlee

C: Myles Turner

                

Colangelo released a statement about the revamped roster:

"USA Basketball is looking to select the best team possible for the FIBA World Cup as we attempt to win a third straight gold medal. We have a deep roster of men who have played for USA Basketball and who have experienced playing in FIBA events, so they understand the competitiveness of FIBA basketball and have respect for the other national teams. We're looking forward to exposing the selected players to FIBA World Cup competition and the incredible experience of representing their country in one of the world's premier basketball's competitions."

Although Team USA won't be anywhere near full strength when the tournament kicks off Aug. 31 in China, the Americans are still listed as the -500 favorite to win the event, per Evan Abrams of the Action Network.

The United States was drawn into Group E with the Czech Republic (game Sept. 1), Turkey (Sept. 3) and Japan (Sept. 5). The top two teams will advance to the second round.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard and San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan are reportedly set to withdraw from Team USA training camp ahead of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports replayed the update Tuesday on Lillard, while Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic noted DeRozan's decision to skip international play this summer.

Team USA has endured a mass exodus from its preliminary roster for the tournament, which tips off August 31 in China.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhQWaCXghXc

The Houston Rockets' James Harden and Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson, Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal, Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris and Blazers' CJ McCollum previously withdrew from camp.

That doesn't even include superstars LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard, who weren't on the provisional roster.

Although American basketball depth is unmatched—Team USA is still a sizable -400 favorite to win the FIBA World Cup, per OddsChecker—it's getting to the point where the team could be seriously tested in China, especially in the knockout stages.

It's the first tournament under head coach Gregg Popovich of the Spurs, who's taken the reins from longtime Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

In February, Popovich said he wouldn't spend the NBA season trying to convince the league's top American players to represent the country during the offseason.

"I just think that would be inappropriate for me before games to go up to one or two guys on each team and say, 'Hey, are you going to play for us this summer? I'd really like to have you,'" he told reporters. "He's there to try to whip (us). He's got a different priority that night, and I think it would be inappropriate for me try to do that."

The top two finishers from the Americas in the World Cup will earn qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

It's unclear if the level of participation among the NBA's elite players will be higher for the Olympic team.