Drummond also says no to US World Cup team
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Fri, 02 Aug 2019 08:56:06 +0000
Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (right).
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond and Los Angeles Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell are the latest NBA players to withdraw from the United States hopefuls’ list for the Basketball World Cup.
USA Basketball confirmed the pullouts Thursday and added Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo to the lineup that will gather Monday in Las Vegas for a five-day training camp ahead of the global showdown in China that opens on Aug. 31.
The Americans, whose final 12-man roster will be announced Aug. 17, will seek a third consecutive World Cup crown but many top stars have said no to the event.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard are among the NBA stars who will be staying home.
Among 11 US players on NBA All-Star teams, Boston guard Kemba Walker is the only one seeking a spot on the US team coached by Gregg Popovich.
Adebayo, 22, scored 8.9 points, grabbed 7.3 rebounds and passed out 2.2 assists a game last season for Miami.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson was added to the second squad that will challenge the World Cup hopefuls during training camp.
Other NBA players competing for a US World Cup spot include Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, New York’s Julius Randle, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Kyle Kuzma of Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton, Denver’s Mason Plumlee, Houston’s P.J. Tucker, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smary and Jayson Tatum, Indiana’s Myles Turner and Chicago’s Thaddeus Young.
Lowry helped the Raptors with the NBA title in June. He and Barnes were also members of the Rio Olympic gold medal squad.