Team USA had its Blue vs. White scrimmage on Friday night, with the more senior Blue team taking home the victory, 97-78 during the outing in Las Vegas.
After the game was over, the team decided to make a few cuts as it tries to whittle down its roster for the upcoming 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.
Among the cuts were Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young and Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo.
Via Twitter:
Bulls’ Thaddeus Young and Heat’s Bam Adebayo have been cut from Team USA, per managing director Jerry Colangelo.
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 10, 2019
Spurs’ Derrick White and Kings’ Marvin Bagley will join USA Basketball in LA next week, per managing director Jerry Colangelo.
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 10, 2019
The Team USA roster that will reconvene Tuesday in Los Angeles before next Friday's exhibition game against Spain will thus feature 17 players after the promotions of San Antonio's White and Sacramento's Bagley -- with Kyle Lowry (thumb) and Marcus Smart (calf) still inactive
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 10, 2019
Good news from Las Vegas has come for Kings fans, who will see their Marvin Bagley added to the potential list for China. De’Aaron Fox has been a star during his time with Team USA thus far, and appears to be a lock by many accounts to make the team for the World Cup.
This is going to be an interesting outing for everyone involved. There aren’t a lot of NBA superstars on this team, if you could count any. But there is a lot of young talent, and it could open up the USA for a whole new generation of players looking to play internationally.
Meanwhile, opposing countries smell blood in the water and they are certainly circling the upcoming tournament at the end of August as a means to hoist victory over the United States.
