USA - Arenas’ Japan hopes dashed with groin injury in practice

SEOUL (FIBA World Championship) - Gilbert Arenas has withdrawn from Team USA with a groin strain. Arenas, a prolific scorer in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, picked up the injury in training at Camp Yongson outside of Seoul, USA Basketball announced.

His exit means coach Mike Krzyzewski now must cut just one other player to finalise his squad.

"We know Gilbert is really disappointed, he's done a great job," said Jerry Colangelo, the senior national team managing director.

"It's an unfortunate situation but he is not going to be able to continue on. We're concerned because he has had a history regarding groin pulls. This is a precautionary move but it is important that he return home and get treatment."

A weakness of Team USA at the Athens Olympics, where they lost three games and ended up with a bronze medal, was outside shooting and that is an area in which Arenas might have helped had he made the team.

He played in all four USA pre-World Championship exhibition contests, started once, and averaged 3.8 points, 2.3 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game.

Team USA squad (one player still to cut): Carmelo Anthony, Gilbert Arenas, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh,; Bruce Bowen, Elton Brand; Kirk Hinrich, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade.

PA Sport