Team USA Basketball loses another vital cog in their bid to defend the Basketball World Cup in Spain. Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder has bowed out of his commitment to represent Uncle Sam in the FIBA World Championship.

Westbrook cited his recent surgery which he needed to recover from in great haste to boost his team's chances for the playoffs. It did work, as Westbrook was arguably the best player on the team in some stretches. His intensity is just right for that level of play and serves as a great backdrop for Kevin Durant's smooth and quiet efficiency.

Team USA could definitely use that intensity against the Spaniards and the rest of the world who are eager to wrest the title.

The official announcement from Team USA came from Managing Director Jerry Colangelo:

"I have received confirmation from Russell that he will not be participating in this summer's USA Basketball Men's National Team training and the World Cup due to his need to rest. We've been communicating with Russell since the Thunder's season ended and we've known this was a possibility. As much as we would love to have him this summer and as much as he'd like to play for the United States this summer, this is the right decision.

The process we're going through to finalize this summer's roster is no different than other summers. As I've said previously, our roster is fluid and based on the circumstances of our players you will see the addition of players as they emerge and as they are needed."

There are still many options especially at the point guard spot in the 28-man roster that Team USA can select from. One intriguing prospect is Derrick Rose. He wants to show the world (and perhaps free agents) how well he has recovered from injury. He's also a veteran of the 2010 FIBA World Champions alongside Westbrook.

Young guys like Kyrie Irving (who recently signed a long term deal with Cleveland thereby ending his free agent uncertainty) and Damian Lillard could be given a look.