Former All-Star Gilbert Arenas Rips Team USA Roster For FIBA World Cup After Excluding Trae Young

Three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas thinks Team USA’s roster for the FIBA World Cup is lacking, calling the team a “sorry-ass group” to Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young on his podcast.

CBS Sports reports Arenas commented on his Gil’s Arena podcast to Young, who was left off the team. Team USA will play in the FIBA World Cup, an Olympic qualifier that begins Aug. 25. Team USA will play its first game against Greece on Monday, Aug. 28.

“You see that list they got, sorry-ass group,” Arenas said.

“I’m sorry. I’m happy for the people who make it; it’s cool for some of the guys who got there; some of them probably don’t even start on their teams. I don’t know. I don’t want to look at it. Because it’s embarrassing sometimes when you have star players who do want to participate, and you just automatically say, ‘Yeah, he’s not gonna fit our style.’ How the f— you know if he’s gonna fit the style? You didn’t give the man a chance.”

It’s unclear if Young was asked to be on the team, although he did express his desire to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics, which will take place in Paris.

“I definitely want to; I’ve talked about playing for [Team] USA a couple times,” Young said. “I definitely want to. It’s up to them if they want me to. I would love to play with guys, show off my passing even more and not have to go out and score a lot, and just be there if they need me to. I’d be happy to, but I respect the OG’s and understand you gotta take your turn, but I believe I should be on there.”

Young may have been passed over for Team USA in favor of New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Halliburton. Young, a two-time All-Star, averaged 26.2 points per game and 10.3 assists for the Hawks, who made the NBA playoffs but lost in the first round to the Boston Celtics in six games.