Santa Barbara’s Shaw Is Last Player Cut From U.S. Men’s Basketball Team

Brian Shaw of UC Santa Barbara became the final player to be cut from the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team Tuesday when Coach John Thompson reduced the roster to 12 players.

Shaw, a first-round draft choice of the Boston Celtics, was once the leading candidate at point guard for the Olympic team, but he had not played well lately, averaging four points and two rebounds a game in limited playing time during the last eight exhibition games.

“I feel like I gave it my best shot,” Shaw said. “I was kind of surprised, but I always knew it was a possibility.”

Shaw played in the second half of the Olympic team’s exhibition against Athletes in Action Tuesday night at Cal State Fullerton. He will be with the team through Friday, when the official roster is submitted to the U.S. Olympic Committee, Thompson said.

“I wish very much that we could keep 14 players; however, the numbers and positions do not permit us to do that,” Thompson said.

The final roster: Willie Anderson (Georgia), Stacey Augmon (Nevada Las Vegas), Vernell Coles (Virginia Tech), Jeff Grayer (Iowa State), Hersey Hawkins (Bradley), Dan Majerle (Central Michigan), Danny Manning (Kansas), J.R. Reid (North Carolina), Mitch Richmond (Kansas State), David Robinson (Navy), Charles Smith (Pittsburgh) and Charles Smith (Georgetown).