updated 9:54 a.m. ET Aug. 17, 2006

SEOUL, Korea - For five months, USA Basketball officials pointed to Bruce Bowen as the type of role player they needed on their team.

So it came as a bit of a surprise when the Americans showed up here Thursday without him.

The defensive specialist from the San Antonio Spurs was the final player cut, leaving the U.S. team with the required 12 players heading into the start of the world championships on Saturday.

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said it was “a tribute” to Bowen that he came as close as he did to making the final team.

“He was selected because we felt he had a legitimate chance to make it because of the skills he brought to the table,” Colangelo said. “He lasted a lot longer than others with bigger names and larger statistics.”

The final roster was announced Wednesday by Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski, and included Carmelo Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Elton Brand, Kirk Hinrich, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.

All of them were at the arena Thursday night — even though they didn’t have to be.

After traveling from Seoul, South Korea, earlier in the day, the Americans opted for a voluntary workout here. Still, the players showed up for a light shootaround, though neither they nor the coaching staff met with the media afterward.

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Given how much Bowen had been talked about, it was a bit surprising he wasn’t out there with them.

Ever since unveiling the original national team roster in March, Colangelo made it clear he wasn’t interested in picking a squad of All-Stars, but rather one that would represent a true team concept. To do so, he said, required having players who would be content to fill certain roles.

That paved the way for the inclusion of Bowen, who has always been willing to sacrifice his own offense while usually defending the opponent’s best player. His selection was a popular one among his fellow players — even longtime rival Kobe Bryant said he had been looking forward to playing with Bowen after the two had battled for years during Lakers-Spurs playoff series.

But Bowen scored just four points while playing four of the five tuneup games and was outplayed by Battier, another defensive-minded small forward.

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Krzyzewski said the team had enough depth on the perimeter from James, Wade, Anthony and Johnson, and needed to keep all of the big guys that it had.

“We just felt with the playing time that they’re going to get that we need support in the back line,” Krzyzewski said. “It just seemed that that was a better makeup for that squad.”

After Gilbert Arenas dropped out with strained groin earlier in the week, that all but assured a spot for Chicago’s Hinrich because the team needed another point guard behind rookie of the year Paul.

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Bowen and Arenas remain part of the national team program and are still in the pool of players who will compete for a spot on the 2008 Olympic team.

Colangelo said Bowen showed class when told he was being dropped and was offered a chance to remain with the team in Japan. However, he instead returned to the United States after the team left Seoul so he could rejoin his family.

The Americans open the world championships Saturday against Puerto Rico.

The average age of the 12 U.S. players is 24½, with the 30-year-old Miller the oldest member of the team. Howard, at 20, is the youngest.

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