Nets center Brook Lopez was bed-ridden with mononucleosis throughout the postseason, so ill he could not attend any of brother Robin’s playoff games. He dropped more than 25 pounds and eventually was cleared to resume basketball activity one week before tryouts for the 2010 USA Basketball National Team.
Suffice to say his tryout sessions fizzled. So even though he survived the initial roster cut, Lopez on Wednesday withdrew from consideration for the team, telling Team USA officials he felt his conditioning still was lagging.
“Although it will be disappointing not to see Brook compete in the upcoming FIBA World Championship, the Nets fully support his decision to stop training with Team USA,” Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement.
“Brook obviously felt that he had not made sufficient enough recovery from his bout with mononucleosis earlier this summer, but we feel confident he will be fully recovered by the start of training camp on September 25.”
Washington’s JaVale McGee will replace Lopez on Team USA, which resumes training in Manhattan on Tuesday. McGee and Dallas’ Tyson Chandler are the team’s only centers.
King had said Nets coach Avery Johnson watched Lopez working out in Las Vegas under Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and felt that though Lopez had regained his weight, he still was lacking in stamina. After the tryouts, Team USA chairman Jerry Colangelo said Lopez needed to have a strong New York showing to make the team that will compete at the World Championships in Turkey.