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Brooklyn Nets news: Dzanan Musa pulls out of FIBA World Cup qualifying

By Phil Watson

Bosnia's players (top, from L) Elmedin Kikanovic, Milan Milosevic, Markus Loncar, Andrija Stipanovic, Emir Sulejmanovic, Aleksandar Lazic, Dzanan Musa, (bottom, from L) Edin Atic, Amar Gegic, Almir Hasandic, Adin Vrabac and Nemanja Gordic pose ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 qualifier between France and Bosnia at Kindarena Hall in Rouen, northwestern France, on November 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU (Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Bosnia's players (top, from L) Elmedin Kikanovic, Milan Milosevic, Markus Loncar, Andrija Stipanovic, Emir Sulejmanovic, Aleksandar Lazic, Dzanan Musa, (bottom, from L) Edin Atic, Amar Gegic, Almir Hasandic, Adin Vrabac and Nemanja Gordic pose ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 qualifier between France and Bosnia at Kindarena Hall in Rouen, northwestern France, on November 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU (Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images) /
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According to Bosnian media, Brooklyn Nets first-round pick Dzanan Musa has withdrawn from FIBA World Cup qualifying games set for June 29 and July 2.

Bosnian media reported Tuesday morning than Dzanan Musa, selected in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets last week, has withdrawn from his national team’s scheduled FIBA World Cup qualifying matches set for Friday and Monday.

Media Servis reported that Musa informed officials with the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team that he will not be available for their group matches as part of European qualifying for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

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The above tweet, per Google Translate, indicates Musa will not play Friday when the Bosnians host France in Tuzla or Monday when Bosnia and Herzegovina visits Belgium in Antwerp.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is in Group E in the 32-team European qualifying tournament. Group play will wrap up with a slate of games in Europe that begins Thursday.

France is undefeated in Group E at 4-0, including an 84-65 win over BiH on Nov. 27. Russia and BiH are each 2-2 and Belgium has already been eliminated at 0-4. The top three teams in the group advance to the second round, which begins Sept. 13.

Russia holds the tiebreaker over Bosnia with a net plus-18 scoring differential, compared to BiH’s minuts-29.

Bosnia beat Russia on Nov. 24, 81-76, but lost when they visited Russia on Feb. 25, 70-53. They held off Belgium 72-70 in the teams’ first meeting on Feb. 23. Europe’s top 12 teams will advance to the FIBA World Cup in China, set for August and September 2019.

It’s a blow for the Bosnians. Musa led the team in scoring and minutes through the first four games of group play, putting up 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 30.3 minutes per game on .385/.278/.565 shooting.

He scored 26 points in the Nov. 24 win over Russia and had 16 when BiH beat Belgium on Feb. 23. Musa scored 18 points in the rematch with the Russians in February and was held to one point on 0-for-8 shooting the first time the Bosnians played France.

Similarly, the Latvian Basketball Federation announced Tuesday that forward Rodions Kurucs has told them that he will not play next month in the European U-20 Championship. Latvia is in the Division B field for the event, which begins July 13 in Bulgaria.

Kurucs, a 20-year-old combo forward, was selected 40th overall by the Nets in last week’s NBA Draft.

This news would indicate that Musa is all-in with coming to the NBA and the Brooklyn Nets this season. Kurucs, meanwhile, has reportedly already agreed to a four-year deal with Brooklyn and is just awaiting the new league year beginning to sign.

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The Nets open play in the Las Vegas Summer League on July 6.