Report: Wall Added To Team USA Training Camp Roster

Notably absent from Team USA’s 28-man pool of potential players for the 2014 FIBA World Cup squad upon its original January announcement was Washington Wizards point guard John Wall. Less than a week from the opening of training camp, though, USA Basketball has seemingly admitted its mistake – sources told ESPN that Wall has been added to the roster.

ESPN’s Marc Stein offers more insight on Wall’s inclusion. Apparently, the American basketball braintrust wanted to bring the 2014 All-Star in all along.

Washington Wizards guard John Wall has accepted USA Basketball’s invitation to attend its training camp next week in Las Vegas, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com that USAB has wanted Wall in camp for weeks and merely wanted to make sure that the Wizards’ All-Star was able to play at full capacity after a longer-than-expected season before making it official…

Coach Mike Krzyzewski and USAB chairman Jerry Colangelo have assembled a group of 20 players to audition in Las Vegas, from which they will pick a final 12-man roster to represent the United States in FIBA’s inaugural World Cup of Basketball starting Aug. 30 in Spain.

Wall’s chief competition for one of Team USA’s 12 roster spots figures to be fellow point guards Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, and Derrick Rose. Though an improved jump-shooter in 2013-2014, Wall isn’t on the level of Lillard and Irving in that regard; his relative deficiency there looms especially large on the international level, too. Lillard, Irving, and even Rose – considering his return from injury, of course – can’t match Wall’s defensive potential and penetrating ability, though, and his court vision arguably tops this esteemed quartet’s as well.

If Wall consistently drains perimeter shots in training camp, it’s hard to believe he won’t be playing in Spain come September. As Wizards fans know all too well, however, that’s hardly a given. Despite his team’s surprising playoff run, Wall shot just 36.6 percent from the field and 21.9 percent from three-point range in the postseason. Shooting like that won’t get it done if he intends to make Team USA.

Will Wall make the FIBA World Cup team?

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