Advertisement

Team USA cuts Thaddeus Young, Bam Adebayo after scrimmage

By Connor Grott
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (R) was cut from Team USA's roster after an inter-squad scrimmage Friday. Marvin Bagley III and Derrick White were promoted to the senior roster. File Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA-EFE
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (R) was cut from Team USA's roster after an inter-squad scrimmage Friday. Marvin Bagley III and Derrick White were promoted to the senior roster. File Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA-EFE

Aug. 10 (UPI) -- USA Basketball made multiple roster changes after a team scrimmage, cutting Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo and Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young.

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo announced the cuts following a Friday night exhibition game between Team USA and the younger Select Team. Select Team members Marvin Bagley III and Derrick White were promoted to the senior roster and will join the team in Los Angeles next week as training continues for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Advertisement

"We let two fellows know that they won't be going to L.A., Thaddeus Young and Bam [Adebayo]," Colangelo said. "We're bringing up a couple of young players from the Select Team, so we're going to be patient with the rest of the squad because we have plenty of time. We have two weeks to decide who will be the final 12.

"Forty-eight hours before Game 1 in China is when we have to submit a roster, so we want to make sure everyone gets a real shot. The staff is sorting through all of that."

Advertisement

Team USA now has 17 players on the roster, which includes injured guards Kyle Lowry (thumb) and Marcus Smart (calf). The team is expected to make more cuts before next weekend, when the national team departs for Australia to play three additional exhibition games.

Team USA dominated the Select Team 97-78 Friday night. Veteran guard Kemba Walker had 14 points and four assists in 16 minutes, and Donovan Mitchell recorded eight points and four assists.

"It's the beginning of a new tournament," Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "Another World Cup, in this case the FIBA World Cup. I think our guys are making progress, having never played together before. They showed great effort, doing a good job in a lot of different ways, just trying to get used to each other and form a team.

"We're still in the early stages of trying to get together and figure out how we want to play and learn about each other. [Friday] was another step."

After practices next week in Los Angeles, the U.S. squad will play Spain in an exhibition game Aug. 16 in Anaheim, Calif. The team will travel to Australia the next day.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines