Hoops

CJ McCollum and Eric Gordon pull out of WC

Not surprised they pulled out. Which player wants to be associated with a likely US loss?

Americans don’t like losers, and who’d want that black mark against them in the future? It could reduce their strength in contract negotiations. You can bet their agents would be the first to realise and would have pushed hard for them to pull out early.

Pop is no fool, he’s probably happy that a few of the egos are not there. USA could send their third best team and still win.

“I'm sorry but I want to see 'the Dream Team' miss out on a medal at the World Cup and the shitstorm that comes with that.

Pop won't be criticised but whomever does play will have a bit of a bad smell about them come the start of the next NBA season.

I like that kind of drama”

If you look up Schadenfreude in the dictionary, you’d see Proud’s smirking face when he wrote that...

In the MCG packed with people all wearing the same expression.

There's an outside chance that the US could miss auto qualifying for the Olympics here.

The Americas get two qualifying places out of China. If the US were to lose in a quarter final, and 2 of Canada, Argentina or Brazil make the final 8, the US would have to go through the pre qualifying events next year, which would throw up all kinds of questions - would the big name stars be willing to play in that qualifying event to get through to the main Olympic tournament?

I think its an unlikely but far from impossible scenario.

To be honest I hope it doesn't happen as that'd be one of the 4 qualifying tournaments (that Australia may need to go through) that would be locked up.

I'm sorry but I want to see 'the Dream Team' miss out on a medal at the World Cup and the shitstorm that comes with that.

Pop won't be criticised but whomever does play will have a bit of a bad smell about them come the start of the next NBA season.

I like that kind of drama

Doesn't the team need to be named out of the 20 players?

Otherwise BA has been caught out once again telling a few porkies in relation not to selecting DJ

"What happens if too many pull out? Do they have to go back to recruiting?"

I was thinking the same thing earlier, they legit might need to at this rate lol

Those $1000+ tickets starting to look pretty stinky!

Kyle Lowry has just had thumb surgery and is in some doubt too.

I think the final team would look like this

PG - Lillard/Lowry
SG - Beal/Middleton/Mitchell
SF - Tatum/Barnes
PF - Love/Harris/Millsap
C - Drummond/Turner

Still a pretty strong but less talented compared to previous US teams. Think Pop will lean more towards players that can be perimeter threats and play and defend multiple positions, and also go with two specialist centres.
Hence Barnes/Harris/Millsap/Middleton/Mitchell over Walker/Tucker/Kuzma/Lopez

It is a shock that the highest profile NBA stars are not participating

Better chances for us to medal?