Cade Cunningham was the best player on the floor during initial scrimmages last week between Team USA and its training camp competition, a group of promising young players brought in to test the Americans' mettle ahead of FIBA World Cup action. The Detroit Pistons guard was so impressive leading the Select Team to a pair of consecutive scrimmage upsets that his play begged one vexing question: Why wasn't Cunningham on the actual World Cup team?

The 21-year-old shed light on that hot-button matter on Sunday, calling his final steps to full recovery from season-ending surgery on his shin the “deciding factor” in turning down an official invitation from USA Basketball. As the 2023-24 season fast approaches, reaching 100 percent health and getting re-acclimated on the floor is Cunningham's top priority.

“They go over and there’s so much traveling, there’s so much, you know, like real schedule, like team practice and everything,” he said, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I wanted to dedicate my summer to really make sure that as an individual, I was ready for the season coming up physically and mentally. I think that was really the deciding factor. I didn’t want to join the Team USA World Cup team and still have to go to rehab and not fully be a part of everything that was going on.”

Cunningham's sophomore season was marred by a shin injury that limited him when available and ultimately caused Detroit to shut him down for good. He played just 12 games in 2022-23 before undergoing surgery on his shin in mid-December, keeping the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 draft from building on a solid yet uneven rookie campaign.

Young, ascending stars have long used their time with USA Basketball as a springboard to reaching new heights the following NBA season. Cunningham won't be wearing red, white and blue at the FIBA World Cup, but don't be surprised if his game gets that hallowed bump in 2023-24 regardless after showing out with the Select Team this summer.

“I know everybody that’s on the team is ready to go 100 percent,” Cade Cunningham said. “That’s why I wanted to be on the select team, to be a part of it but also you know keep my summer and keep my routine going.”