Los Angeles Clippers star, Blake Griffin, has announced his withdrawal from the U.S. national basketball team.

In a report, AP Sports noted that Griffin was one of the 19 players selected for the national team where the players for the FIBA World Cup team will be chosen.

The same report noted that the player has decided to spend his time to improve his skills and prepare for the upcoming NBA season.

According to USA Today, Team USA managing director, Jerry Colangelo, only learned of Griffin's decision on Thursday afternoon.

"I'm disappointed he's not going to be with us. It's unfortunate (because) it's been two competitions in a row (that Griffin has missed), but it sounds like a broken record because it happened recently with someone else," Colangelo told USA Today.

The team managing director, according to the same report, was referring to Portland Trailbalzers forward, LaMarcus Aldridge, who also dropped out of the team recently.

USA Today noted that the training camp will start on Monday in Las Vegas, where the 12 players for the national team will be chosen. The team will then compete in Spain for the FIBA World Cup Tournament on August 30.

Team USA will try to win the gold medal as it battles with other worthy countries in the tournament. But USA Today said that vying for the championship could be hard for the team with the absence of Aldridge and Griffin.

Colangelo, according to USA Today, should start looking for "young big men" who can give the team the advantage against other countries with giant ballers and add to the roster of players which include Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets) Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves) Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), rookie Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls) and Tobias Harris (Orlando Magic).

"There's a reason for having a national team roster, and having a list of talented athletes who are on the national team roster, because there are so many variables," Colangelo was quoted by USA Today as saying.

He added that he is very open minded in dealing with these things especially in finding the best players who can help the U.S. team bag the gold medal in the World Cup.

"We want to present the best team we possibly can. But there is no additional player from outside this group that we're going to add at this point," Colangelo noted.