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For Tyronn Lue, this trip to the Basketball World Cup was a long time coming
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FILE - From left, coaches Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speak at a practice during training camp for the United States men's basketball team Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in Las Vegas. Lue was supposed to play for his country in 1997, before an injury left him flying home from Australia alone and unable to be part of the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship. He’s finally wearing the red, white and blue again, as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr for this year’s U.S. World Cup team. - photo by AP Photo/John Locher, File
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tyronn Lue has waited a long time for this trip. He was supposed to have the USA Basketball logo on his chest on foreign soil long ago — 1997, actually, when he was starring as the point guard at Nebraska and picked to represent his country at the men’s 22 and under world championships in Australia. But a nagging right leg injury flared up, causing numbness so severe he couldn’t navigate stairs without falling.