Los Angeles (AFP)
Raptor leader Kyle Lowry was forced to forfeit the next World Cup basketball tournament in China (August 31-September 15) because of a thumb injury, he said Monday night.
The player had to undergo surgery on the left thumb in July and will not be ready to compete in the US team, looking for his third world title.
"I was hoping to be back in time for the tournament, but the doctors did not give me the green light to take basketball all over again," Lowry wrote on his Instagram account.
"I love playing on the American team, but I will have to abstain this time and encourage them only from home," he added.
This package adds to the long list of defections that must already face the American coach Gregg Popovich. LeBron James said in April that he would not be available and more recently, several other NBA stars, including James Harden, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard, have chosen not to take part in the World Cup, preferring to prepare for the NBA season.
Popovich is also waiting for news from Marcus Smart, the Boston Celtics leader, who missed the Las Vegas intra-team exhibition game on Friday because of a calf contraction.
The US team is scheduled to resume training in California this week, with an exhibition match scheduled against Spain in Anaheim on Friday.
The Americans will then travel to Australia the next day, where they will play two friendlies against the Australians and against Canada, before the start of the World Cup on August 31.
© 2019 AFP