Rockets guard James Harden will not return to the FIBA World Cup after all.
Harden said Friday he has told Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the coach of the USA Basketball Senior National team, that he would not join the team in Las Vegas next month for training camp or play in the World Cup in China.
Speaking at an event on Friday to donate shoes and other sporting goods to children from the Greater Houston Police Activities League, Harden said he wanted to spend the remainder of the offseason to focus on preparing for the retooled Rockets.