It's Ok That John Wall and Brad Beal Were Among The First Cuts For Team USA
Post - USA Basketball has cut Wizards guards John Wall and Bradley Beal from its national team roster, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Hawks forward Paul Millsap was also released as part of the first round of cuts that trimmed the roster from 19 to 16 players. The USA roster must be pared to 12 before the start of the FIBA World Cup in Spain on Aug. 30. Yahoo! Sports first reported the cuts. USA Basketball officially announced the 16 finalists Tuesday morning. Wall, 23, received a late invitation to camp in Las Vegas last week only after Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook withdrew and was considered a long shot to make the final roster. Competing against point guards Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard, and Stephen Curry for a spot, Wall struggled in Friday’s showcase in Las Vegas, going scoreless with four turnovers. Beal enjoyed a better performance Friday. Beal, 21, recorded 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from line, but Klay Thompson and James Harden, along with the impressive group of point guards, were cemented above him on the depth chart. Wall and Beal were one of three sets of teammates in camp. The Warriors backcourt of Curry and Thompson and the Hawks’ Kyle Korver and Millsap were the other pairings. Team USA will resume training camp for the World Cup with workouts in Chicago Aug. 14 and 15, followed by a game against Brazil Aug. 16 at United Center. Wizards forward Nene is expected to suit up for the Brazilians.
I didn’t expect either guy to make the FIBA World Cup team. Bradley Beal is 21. John Wall is somehow still only 23. He seems like he’s been in the league for 10 years now, but he’s only 23. Getting cut from Team USA came as no surprise. They got to play with the best players in the world for a couple of weeks. And they played on the same team during practices against the best players in the world. That’s invaluable experience for two guys who can barely buy their own beers.
I will say though Beal getting the chop before DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Korver makes very little sense. Especially Korver. But hey, Mason Plumlee survived the cut too, so you do you Coach K, you do you.
And besides, we’ll see how Harden plays defense (not very well, ever) in the Worlds and how well Beal plays in the next two seasons. Wouldn’t be shocked for them to flip flop for the 2016 Olympics. But for now, no sweat on two Wizards being left off the team. At least the one other Wizard is a shoe in.
