Team USA humbled by select team in warm up match for FIBA World Cup
A string of high-profile withdrawals have led many to rubbish Team USA's hopes at the FIBA World Cup in China and if their latest warm up match is anything to go by the dire predictions for the two-time defending champions may be justified.
Coach Gregg Popovich has seen the star power in his squad for the tournament dwindle, as marquee players opt to stay in the US and focus their attention on the upcoming 2019-20 NBA season.
Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell at Team USA camp. Getty
Yet even without their top-tier talent most would expect the US to still win comfortably but their latest match up maybe a cause for concern.
Team USA officials organised a hit out with a Select Team featuring "G-League and players from overseas" and boy were they humbled. Four of the 11 players on the roster right now are signed either to G-League or foreign contracts for next season according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
The team of NBA stars were easily beaten by the Select Team, 36-17 in a 10 minute session that was open to the media. And they couldn't reverse the score when the two sides tussled again.
And it's not like their best players were rested either, with the likes All-Star Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, Harrison Barnes, P.J Tucker and Brook Lopez, all finishing on the court.
Team USA will be trimmed from 15 down to 12 in the coming days before they head Down Under to take on the Australian Boomers.
Along with Team USA, Canada and New Zealand will also land in Australia for seven games to take place across the country.
The seven game series kicks off on Friday, August 16 when the Boomers take on Canada in two games in Perth.
