Jerry Colangelo Can’t Hate De’Aaron Fox For Leaving Team USA
Don’t hate De’Aaron Fox for leaving Team USA at the final hour. He knew the Sacramento Kings season was more important. Despite how Jerry Colangelo might feel, the right decision was made. And you can expect Fox to be on the list of players to be considered for an Olympic team spot in the future.
Can you really blame Fox for leaving team USA? In the teams exhibition game, he hardly played at all. The Kings, who travel to India to start the preseason, have a grueling travel schedule. For Fox to take on the travel of the FIBA World Cup and the Kings schedule would be daunting just to sit the bench.
You can say all you want about the pride in representing your country. After all, Kings players, Harrison Barnes played for Team USA and Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelicia played for team Serbia, and they will deal with the same travel schedule. However, Fox doesn’t need to explain himself to anyone. Unlike the NBA’s biggest stars, he at least showed up to the FIBA training camp.
Jerry Colangelo said he’ll remember those who didn’t show up for the National team. It’s apparent that was a dig at De’Aaron Fox and Kings teammate, Marvin Bagley. Although, he’s going to eat those words come the 2020 Olympics.
Again, Fox “showed up” for training camp. Unlike half the superstars in the NBA, he came and gave it his all right up until the end. You really don’t expect Colangelo to keep out James Harden, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Karl Anthony-Towns, Jimmy Butler, or any of the other NBA stars who didn’t show up for training camp. Besides, Fox is going to be a top-five guard in the NBA after next season. Colangelo would be dumb to not include him in the process.
Everyone is going to have an opinion of De’Aaron Fox and his decision to leave Team USA. In reality, it’s not that big of an issue. These players ultimate goal is an NBA championship. Even the Olympics takes a back seat to that. Expecting the FIBA World Cup to take precedence over the NBA season is absurd.
De’Aaron Fox will be fine in the eyes of USA basketball. He’ll become one of the NBA’s best PG’s and they’ll need to consider him for the team. If not, the USA executives are just out of their minds and a tad bitter. Jerry Colangelo shouldn’t be picking fights with Fox. Unlike more than half of the beloved NBA superstars that will make up the Olympic team, Fox at least showed up right until the end.
Image Source: Rocky Widner/Getty
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
