US prunes world cup squad

USA Basketball trimmed its roster to 12 players for the FIBA World Cup tournament that starts next week in Spain.

Among those making the team were centers DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond and Mason Plumlee. The cuts included NBA All-Star point guard Damian Lillard and small forwards Gordon Hayward, Kyle Korver and Chandler Parsons.

The rest of the US roster includes guards Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose and Klay Thompson; guard-forward DeMar DeRozan; forward-center Anthony Davis and forwards Kenneth Faried and Rudy Gay.

The US opens the 2014 World Cup on Aug 30 against Finland and then faces Turkey on Aug 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, which the US won 81-64.

Associated Press