De’Aaron Fox becomes one of over a dozen players to back out of Team USA

The star player reportedly wants to focus on getting the Sacramento Kings to the post season for the first time in over 10 years.

Sacramento King point guard De'Aaron Fox will no longer join Team USA in their journey to win the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Megan Sims

Aug 18, 2019

De'Aaron Fox thegrio.com — De'Aaron Fox has decided not to continue playing for USA's 2019 Basketball Men's National Team. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Sacramento King point guard De’Aaron Fox will no longer be helping Team USA in their journey to win the 2019 FIBA World Cup, which is set to begin in two weeks; the news coming after several other players also bowed out.

According to Complex, Fox reportedly stood out during the team’s training camp, and multiple teammates had heaped praise upon him. Tony Jones, a sports writer with The Athletic wrote in a tweet that multiple sources have reported “that De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell have been standouts in the first two days of Team USA training camp. Nobody has consistently been able to stay in front of Fox.”

Hearing from multiple sources that De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell have been standouts in the first two days of Team USA training camp. Nobody has consistently been able to stay in front of Fox

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) August 6, 2019

Despite his growing success and almost certain spot on Team USA, Yahoo Sports reported that Fox only played six minutes during Team USA’s friendly against Spain on Friday, which was the lowest total of any U.S. player who saw the court.

Fox decided he wanted to focus on getting the King’s to the post season for the first time in over 10 years. Yahoo Sports did report that the team showed promise finishing in ninth place last season.

Prior to Fox’s exit, Kyle Lowry, Trae Young, and P.J. Tucker took their leaving following injuries. According to CBS Sports, other players that have withdrawn from Team USA have been Lakers forward Anthony Davis, Rockets guards James Harden and Eric Gordon, Knicks forward Julius Randle, Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell, Pelicans guard JJ Redick, Pistons center Andre Drummond and Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, among others.

The remaining 13 players looking to get one of 12 available slots on the team are: Harrison Barnes, Jaylen Brown, Joe Harris, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, Donovan Mitchell, Mason Plumlee, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Myles Turner, Kemba Walker, and Derrick White.