Looking back, Derrick White’s Team USA experience seems rather unremarkable. Had it not been for multiple absences and dropouts, he surely would not have made the squad. He got most of his run in the World Cup late in the tournament — when the US was out of the run for gold — and didn’t put eye-popping numbers.
As exciting as it was to see him make the squad, it’s possible to make the case that it would have been better if he had been cut late. The Spurs are expecting big things from White this upcoming season, so it’s fair to wonder if he would have been better off focusing on his game and preparing for the NBA season.