De’Aaron Fox is the latest Team USA recruit to opt-out of the running, leading up to the 2019 FIBA World Cup. According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, the 3rd-year pivot is withdrawing to focus on the Sacramento Kings' playoff push in the upcoming 2019-2020 season. While the Kings might be several playoff rungs off the pace in the new-look Western Conference, Fox, and his Kings teammates, specifically Marvin Bagley and Buddy Hield, put the league on notice by focusing on team chemistry to great avail.
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With Fox giving up his spot, the Team USA now boasts Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Jaylen Brown, Harrison Barnes, Brook Lopez, Mason Plumlee, Marcus Smart, Myles Turner, Derrick White, and Joe Harris with a single roster cut hanging in the balance.
Although Fox was bound to play second fiddle to Kemba Walker within this Team USA group, scouts have been enthralled with his play throughout preparation camp, leading several pundits to project "combo" backcourt be placed out of sequence. But alas, coach Gregg Popovich opted to play Derrick White ahead of Fox in the rotation during Friday's exhibition with Spain, limiting De’Aaron Fox to 6 minutes of action. The writing was most certainly on the wall, from there on in.
