One day before Team USA is set to depart for Australia and Beijing for tournament play, De’Aaron Fox has withdrawn from the team.
With extensive travel looming and a season with expectations to prepare for, the Kings point guard has opted to shift his focus to preparing for the upcoming NBA season.
Fox is now the second Kings player to withdraw from Team USA within the last week after Marvin Bagley’s departure six days ago. Harrison Barnes is still on the roster and will presumably travel with the team on Sunday.
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox will withdraw from Team USA to focus on upcoming season with goal of making playoffs, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 17, 2019
There are other Kings players that will be participating in the FIBA World Cup. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica are both representing Serbia, and newly acquired point guard Cory Joseph is reportedly set to join Team Canada for the tournament.
Final Thoughts
This decision by Fox is a wise one. The Kings have a long season with a lot of travel ahead of them, and Fox is the engine that keeps the team running. His health and stamina are far more important than playing for Team USA in a non-Olympic year. Despite his drop-out, Fox was able to gain the experience of practicing for the National Team and being coached by some of the NBA’s best.