Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo withdrew from the Team USA pool today citing family matters, according to a Team USA press release.
“Rajon came to us and said he was going to withdraw from the team, that he had some family matters to attend to and some things to take care of before the NBA season. He did an outstanding job during our training, we appreciate the effort and commitment he made to our program and he completely has our support,” said USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo.
Yahoo! Sports first reported the story, however, they say Rondo was actually cut from the roster. Marc Spears says teammates were shocked that Rondo was cut which means that either Yahoo! has the report wrong or Jerry Colangelo said Rajon withdrew when he had actually been cut.
Rondo’s withdrawal means that the United States final roster for the World Championships will look like this:
PG: Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook
SG: Eric Gordon, Stephen Curry
SF: Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger
PF: Kevin Durant, Kevin Love
C: Tyson Chandler, Lamar Odom
Obviously Rondo is a great player and one of the best point guards in the league but when you look at the roster this way you can see why his presence wasn’t necessary (a reason why he would have been cut) or why his withdrawal is nothing to sweat. Rondo started Team USA’s first three scrimmages/exhibitions this summer alongside Chauncey Billups but was benched for Sunday’s game against Spain for the entire game. Rondo may have taken his benching as a sign that he would be cut and withdrew to avoid the potential embarrassment but it was unlikely that he was going to be the final cut anyways.
Derrick Rose will likely take Rondo’s spot in the starting line-up. Team USA will take on Greece in Athens tomorrow as their final tune-up game before the World Championships begin. This will be their first contest with their roster finalized.
