USA Basketball Announces 12-Man National Team Roster

Friday night, following Team USA Basketball's 112-86 win over Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the team announced its final cuts before the team heads off to Spain. The final four guys cut were Damian Lillard, Chandler Parsons, Kyle Korver and Gordon Hayward. Perhaps surprisingly, Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan and Pistons big man Andre Drummond made the cut. More details, straight from USA Basketball:

USA Basketball National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo announced Friday night the 12 players who will represent the United States at the 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup that is being held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The player announcement followed the USA’s112-86 exhibition victory over Puerto Rico Friday evening at Madison Square Garden.

Named as members of the official 2014 USA Basketball World Cup Team were: DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

The biggest challenge for Team USA is the host country for the FIBA World Cup, Spain. That fact might help explain Coach K's desire to keep an extra big man around in Drummond, since the Spanish squad is loaded up front. Meanwhile, the coolest thing about the final 12-man roster is the fact that we get to see even more of Derrick Rose, who has looked healthy and strong this summer. (You know we love DRose.)

Of course, it's a 2014 team that does not include stars like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Love or Kevin Durant. Team USA's final tune-up before the tournament is Tuesday against Slovenia, in Spain (2 p.m. on ESPN2).

[via SLAM]