USA Basketball has issued a press release announcing a series of updates relating to the team it’s putting together for the 2019 World Cup in China, as well as the training camp that will take place in August before that event. Here are the highlights of that announcement:
More withdrawals:
Nuggets big man Paul Millsap has joined the ever-growing list of players from Team USA’s initial 20-man roster who have decided not to participate in this year’s World Cup. As expected, Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love has also withdrawn from Team USA’s 2019 roster.
Millsap and Love join Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, James Harden, Tobias Harris, Damian Lillard, and CJ McCollum among the original invitees who have removed their names from World Cup consideration.
New invitees:
Team USA confirmed that Thaddeus Young, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle, and Jaylen Brown will join the training camp roster for next month, as previous reports indicated.
In addition to those four players, two big men will join the roster as well, with Clippers center Montrezl Harrell and Nuggets center Mason Plumlee have received invitations from USA Basketball. Assuming the remaining 11 players from the original 20-man roster remain committed, that would bring the roster back up to 17.
[UPDATE: Harrell may turn down his invitation]
Those 11 other players are Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, P.J. Tucker, Myles Turner, and Kemba Walker.
Select Team:
For the first time, USA Basketball confirmed the players who will make up the Select Team at next month’s training camp in Las Vegas. The members of the 13-man Select Team will practice and scrimmage with Team USA’s training camp invitees, and will be coached by Jeff Van Gundy.
It’s possible that a player could be elevated from the Select Team to the primary roster and eventually find his way onto the 12-man squad that will play in China, but that’s probably a long shot.
The 13 players who will play for the Select Team are as follows:
- Jarrett Allen (Nets)
- Marvin Bagley III (Kings)
- Mikal Bridges (Suns)
- Jalen Brunson (Mavericks)
- John Collins (Hawks)
- Pat Connaughton (Bucks)
- De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
- Joe Harris (Nets)
- Jonathan Isaac (Magic)
- Mitchell Robinson (Knicks)
- Landry Shamet (Clippers)
- Derrick White (Spurs)
- Trae Young (Hawks)
Team USA’s training camp will take place during the week of August 5, while the World Cup itself is scheduled to run from August 31 to September 15.
Several players on the Select team are demonstrably better than “varsity” players.
Who?
Collins, Bagley and Robinson r better players then the bigs on the invite list. Shamet is probably the best shooter. Plus I’d take Fox’s athletism
Mitchell Robinson is the only one on the select team that can make the real team. With no 3 seconds in the paint(on defense) & him being a lob threat. He would make a huge impact definitely more than Drummond.
MR did look okay in Vegas, though awkward sometimes. So for sure he’s better than some top players in the NBA and world.
Feel it in my gut there will be an upset and USA won’t get gold
You are not going out on a limb. All these guys are second tier players at the most.
Even with the USA’s second tier, should still be by far the strongest and most complete international roster.
No. Has it not been proven before that these foreign teams that spend quite a bit more playing together can beat a hobbled together USA team? 20 years USA was killing it in these competitions. Now the games are much closer even with USA best out there. Also the rules are different than the nba which helps these foreign teams.
Look out for MBIII, JC, Fox & Trae… I think they have a decent shot to make the team, the others… no way they make it!
Team USA competing for 5th place…