The number of players set to attend team USA minicamp in Las Vegas next month continues to rise as there are reportedly more than 40 players expected to be there. Some of the players attending will not be participating in drills as they recover from injuries, like Kyrie Irving (knee) and Kevin Durant (foot), but one player that reportedly won't be attending at all is Damian Lillard, according to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
Lillard was one of the final cuts from the USA team that competed in the FIBA World Cup last year and eventually brought home the gold. At the time Lillard said he was grateful for the opportunity and that he had no hard feelings, but privately he reportedly felt slighted by being cut.
"I did it the last few summers and last summer I didn't make it, I don't know why I would go. After I got cut last summer, I don't think I'm a part of it," said Lillard on CBS Radio.
Lillard clearly was not happy about not making the team last summer and feels as though there is no point of him going back to camp. The coaching staff did take three point guards on the team, but it chose Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry and Derrick Rose over Lillard. Two of those three guys have won MVP awards in the NBA and the other was just named third-team All-NBA, so Lillard should not feel slighted that he was cut in favor of them.
Lillard is coming off of his best season in the NBA so far with the Portland Trail Blazers. Even though his three-point percentage was down he averaged a career-high 21 points per game and shot a career-high 43 percent from the field. Lillard is still only 25 years old and has developed into one of the elite point guards in the NBA. It is a shame that being cut last year has made Lillard not want to participate with the national team this summer, because he likely has a better shot than ever to make the team.
While Lillard will not be attending team USA minicamp his new teammate Mason Plumlee will be. Plumlee played on the national team last year as a surprise addition to the roster and will have a chance to make the team again as it prepares for the Olympics.
