De’Aaron Fox, the flashy guard of the Sacramento Kings, won’t suit up for Team USA for the FIBA World Cup so he could focus more in the upcoming NBA season
Fox became the third player to withdraw from Team USA after Houston Rockets’ forward PJ Tucker and Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry.
Tucker and Lowry are nursing ankle and thumb injuries, respectively.
In last Friday’s exhibition game, US defeated Spain, 90-81, with FOX tallying two points and one assist in six minutes of play.
The 21-year-old Fox had a solid sophomore season where he averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
With three players withdrawing from the team, USA now has 13 players battling to make it to the final 12-man team.
The remaining players are Joe Harris (Brooklyn), Donovan Mitchell (Utah), Marcus Smart (Boston), Kemba Walker (Boston), Derrick White (San Antonio), Harrison Barnes (Sacramento), Jaylen Brown (Boston), Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee), Jayson Tatum (Boston), Brook Lopez( Milwaukee), Mason Plumlee (Denver), and Myles Turner (Indiana).
USA, coached by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, will be one of the 32 teams that will compete in World Cup slated Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China.
Photo credit: USATSI
