De’Aaron Fox not currently interested in playing for Team USA

Following the United State’s disappointing fourth-place finish in this summer’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, NBA stars are emerging as candidates for the 2024 Olympic team.

Back on Sept. 11, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reported that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was in the process of recruiting players to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. One of the players named in that report was Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, who has not participated in USA Basketball activities since the summer of 2019.

With James reiterating his interest and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant confirming his commitment to playing in the 2024 Olympics during Monday’s Media Day, Fox made it clear that donning the red, white, and blue is not on his current radar.

De’Aaron Fox is ready for Year 7 🦊 pic.twitter.com/UXA0BA86i7

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) October 2, 2023

“Right now, at this very moment, I really don’t care about what’s going on with Team USA,” Fox told the media on Monday at the Sacramento Kings’ Media Day session at Golden 1 Center.

“Things change in the future. Right now, that’s not something I’m worried about.”

Fox said that his main goal is to compete for an NBA championship, meaning that the All-Star will focus on the upcoming regular season instead of looking ahead to next summer’s Olympic Games.

Fox’s history with USA Basketball

Fox’s speedy, high-scoring style could make him an ideal candidate for the backup point guard spot, but it’s the guard’s reported interest in donning the red, white, and blue that comes as a surprise following the guard’s withdrawal from consideration for the 2019 FIBA World Cup roster.

After being named to the USA Select Team in 2019, Fox was called up to the main roster as several players dropped out due to injury or personal reasons.

Fox withdrew from the team as USA prepared to open up its tune-up slate of games in Mumbai, India, citing that he was preparing for the upcoming season.

“That’s for me to know,” Fox told TMZ Sports when asked why he left the team in August 2019.

Upon his sudden departure from consideration for the 2019 FIBA World Cup roster, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that USA basketball officials were left “stunned” by Fox’s departure.

Although Fox’s exit might have ruffled some feathers at the time, USA Basketball communications director Craig Miller told The Sacramento Bee that he understood Fox’s decision to withdraw.

“Given De’Aaron was added into consideration for the World Cup team after originally being part of the USA Select Team in Las Vegas, USA Basketball understands De’Aaron’s decision,” Miller said in 2019.

After finishing seventh in 2019 and fourth in 2023 in FIBA World Cup play, the USA needs to make a statement during the 2024 Olympics.

As Fox’s career ascends to superstardom, the speedy guard appears to be preparing to return to USA Basketball as James begins his recruiting process for the future Hall of Fame forward’s final Olympics run.

Could Fox set aside his prior differences with USA Basketball and become the first Sacramento Kings player to bring home a Gold Medal since DeMarcus Cousins won the gold in 2016?

More on Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox

De’Aaron Fox, the first-ever Clutch Player of the Year winner, ended the 2022-23 season as the NBA’s leader in clutch points (194), field goals made (72), field goal percentage (53%), paint points (88), and usage rate (43%).

Scoring in the fourth was seemingly effortless for Fox, who finished just four points shy of Kyrie Irving (551) for the most points scored in the fourth quarter this season.

Fox–who was also a first-time All-Star in 2022-23–finished the season with averages of 25.0 points, 4.2 rebounds (career-high), 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range.

Fox put on a show in his postseason debut during Game 1 back on April 15th, scoring 38 points on 13-of-27 shooting and four-of-eight from three-point range during a 126-123 win at Golden 1 Center.

The 38-point performance was the second-highest scoring playoff debut in NBA history, only trailing Luka Doncic’s 42-point debut back in 2020.

During the seven-game series with Golden State, De’Aaron Fox averaged 27.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the three-point line.

Sacramento Kings 2023-24 Preseason Schedule

• Sunday, October 8th – Sacramento Kings @ Toronto Raptors – 5 PM PST (Preseason Opener)
• Wednesday, October 11th – Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Lakers – 7 PM PST (in Anaheim, CA)
• Sunday, October 15th – Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors – 7 PM PST
• Wednesday, October 18th – Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors – 7 PM PST
• Thursday, October 19th – Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz – 7 PM PST

Sacramento Kings 2023-24 Regular Season Schedule

• Tuesday, October 24th – NBA regular season begins
• Wednesday, October 25th – Sacramento Kings @ Utah Jazz – 6 PM (Season Opener)
• Friday, October 27th – Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors – 7 PM (Home Opener)

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