Marion, Morrison, Ridnour left off national team

[BangTheBook]

LAS VEGAS -- Shawn Marion, Adam Morrison and Luke Ridnour were left off the U.S. national team's roster Tuesday before its trip to Asia for the world championships next month.


Amare Stoudemire and Kirk Hinrich were the only moderately surprising inclusions on the 15-man roster, which will play five warmup games in Las Vegas, China and Korea before opening the world championships in Japan on Aug. 19.


Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff must trim the roster to 12 players before the world championships.


Marion, the Phoenix Suns' three-time NBA All-Star, apparently was left off the roster because of a minor knee injury. He was just one of five candidates remaining from the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, which won disappointing bronze medals.


Hinrich, the Chicago Bulls point guard, beat out Ridnour for the ostensible third-string spot behind Chris Paul and Gilbert Arenas. Hinrich was slowed by a hamstring injury during the team's weeklong training camp in Las Vegas, but apparently did enough to impress Krzyzewski.


Stoudemire earned a spot on the traveling team with a remarkable comeback from surgery on both knees during last season with the Suns, when he played in three NBA games. The 6-foot-10 forward looked strong and mobile during training camp despite struggling during summer-league play a few weeks ago.


The rest of the 15-man roster includes LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Bruce Bowen, Elton Brand, Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Arenas and Paul.


In all, 25 players have committed to be members of the U.S. national team for the next three years, through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.