Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo announced that Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox has left the squad. It was a surprising decision from Fox just a few hours before the team was scheduled to fly to Australia for the final exhibition games as a part of the preparation for the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China.
De'Aaron Fox withdrawing from Team USA to focus on upcoming season with "goal" of making playoffs, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/pfco9Rj0m9
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) August 17, 2019
Fox earned promotion to the senior squad from the Select Team after impressing during training camp, and he appeared to have solidified a backup role to starter Kemba Walker. During USA Basketball’s 97-78 exhibition win over the select team, Fox scored 12 points and added three boards, three dimes, three steals and two rejections in 15 minutes. However, Fox played a team-low six minutes in Friday night’s exhibition win over Spain, and that probably influenced his decision to withdraw. Still, Fox was a strong contender to make the final roster because he displayed good performances in practices and scrimmages over the past few weeks.
Fox’s departure means that head coach Gregg Popovich now has only 13 players to compete for 12 places for the World Cup. Also, this move means that Popovich will likely include San Antonio Spurs point guard Derrick White into the 12-man roster.
“When you cut people from your regular NBA team, it’s difficult,” Popovich said earlier this week. “We’re going to have to do that. And it’s going to be even more so. I’m dreading having to do that. But it’s got to get done.”
More than 50 NBA players were considered for Team USA for this summer’s FIBA World Cup, but a lot of them declined invitations or later withdrew from the squad to focus on the upcoming NBA season. Only one of the current 13 players on the roster cannot travel to China, and Popovich will reveal the names a couple of days before the World Cup starts.
Fox’s decision to leave Team USA came just one day after Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker withdrew because of a left ankle injury.
