After a few days to process the vision of Paul George suffering a gruesome left injury Friday night in Las Vegas, members of Team USA Basketball will remain on the roster, sources close to the situation confirmed.
"Great players want to play. Every precaution was taken ... and sometimes injuries happen and that's part of the game," head coach Mike Mike Krzyzewski said Monday night on SiriusXM satellite radio. "I really believe that the players will still want to play and will want to serve their country and get better and be a part of an experience that only a few get a chance to be a part of. Hopefully that's the same way ownership will look at it as we go forward with this."
Three players, however, have no choice in the matter. Team USA will announce Tuesday that Washington Wizards guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, along with Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap, will be released. Yahoo! Sports first reported the cuts Monday night.
USA Basketball cut Wizards Gs John Wall, Bradley Beal and Hawks F Paul Millsap, per sources. (via @YahooSports) » pic.twitter.com/BHzzLQQ4FL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 5, 2014
Team USA officials planned to announce the cuts Saturday, but delayed doing so after the George injury. Wall, a 6-foot-4 point guard, averaged 19.3 points and 8.8 assists last season. Beal, a 6-5 shooting guard, averaged 17.7 points. The Wizards teammates are considered among the best young backcourt duos in the NBA. Wall is 23 years old, Beal, 21. Millsap, 6-8 and 253 pounds, averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds during the 2013-2014 campaign. Sixteen players remain in competition for a roster spot. Team USA will take 12 players to the FIBA World Cup tournament. The final roster will travel to Spain on Aug. 23.
Of the remaining players only five -- Kevin Durant [Oklahoma City Thunder] James Harden [Houston Rockets], Anthony Davis [New Orleans Pelicans], Derrick Rose [Chicago Bulls] and Stephen Curry [Golden State Warriors] -- are considered shoo-ins to make the team, according to ESPN.com.
Guards Kyrie Irving [Cavaliers], Damian Lillard [Trail Blazers], Kyle Korver [Hawks], DeMar DeRozan [Raptors] and Klay Thompson [Warriors]; forwards Chandler Parsons [Mavericks], Kenneth Faried [Nugets] and Gordon Hayward [Jazz]; and centers DeMarcus Cousins [Kings], Andre Drummond [Pistons] and Mason Plumlee [Nets] will vie for the final seven roster spots.
George suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg Friday night during an intrasquad scrimmage. The Indiana Pacers All-Star forward is expected to miss the entire 2014-2015 NBA season.
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