In recent days, Blake Griffin and Kevin Love have both turned down opportunities to play for Team USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup. To help provide an inside/outside scoring punch, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has invited Paul Millsap of the Atlanta Hawks to vie for a roster spot for the FIBA World Championships, which tip off in Spain in late August.

Millsap’s presence is either a great addition, or an act of a semi-desperate Team USA that will aim to defend its world championship title without some major stars in uniform. Millsap does have some experience with the US National Team, as he participated in the camp leading up to the 2010 championships in Turkey. Although not a member of that gold medal-winning squad, Colangelo feels that the versatile Hawks forward will be a quality addition to the US pool.

“Paul has prior experience at the National Team level having participated in the 2009 National Team mini-camp,” Colangelo said in a statement issued from Las Vegas, site of this year’s camp. “[Millsap] offers us veteran inside player who possesses attributes that can be beneficial for us.”

Millsap is equally excited for the opportunity to prove his wares against some of the world’s best.

"I'm very excited about being added to the USA Men's National Team roster," Millsap said. "I look forward to practicing with and competing against some of the NBA's best for the honor of representing our country in Spain."

With Love and Griffin staying stateside, Millsap will have to mesh with fellow big men Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins, and Kenneth Faried, and shooters such as Chandler Parsons and Kyle Korver to battle the likes of Spain, Italy, and Argentina, among others.

However, without LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard, many USA Basketball fans are apprehensive and feel that the US is sending its JV team to Spain, home of Team USA’s stiffest competition.

Still, Colangelo and Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski will approach the World Cup with confidence and swagger, having won the last several international competitions, including the last to Olympic Games and the 2010 FIBA title.

"You can't just sit around and cry in your beer regarding who you don't have," Colangelo said. "You look at what you do have, and you say, 'We're going to get the job done.' We feel very confident about our opportunity. We're ready for it."

Indeed, the USA is still a supremely talented unit with players like Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, and Paul George, among others.

Team USA will play a series of exhibition games throughout August before opening against Finland on August 30.