Kevin Durant to withdraw from Team USA
USA Basketball announced Thursday that Kevin Durant will be withdrawing from the team in advance of the FIBA World Cup.
In a statement, USA Basketball director Jerry Colangelo said that Durant's withdrawal was due to mental and physical exhaustion, and was not related to the traumatic leg injury Pacers forward Paul George suffered during the team's intra-squad scrimmage a week ago.
Team USA made its first round of cuts on Monday, dropping Wizards guards John Wall and Bradley Beal and Hawks forward Paul Millsap. That narrowed the roster to 16 players, including Durant.
Without Durant, Team USA will be left with Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan, Chandler Parsons, Kyle Korver and Gordon Hayward as the remaining wing players on the roster.
More: Selecting Team USA's 12-man roster
The U.S. team has an exhibition game against Brazil scheduled for Aug. 16 at the United Center in Chicago. The World Cup, held in Barcelona, begins on Aug. 30. Teams must submit their final rosters by Aug. 29.
- Alex Hampl
