ESPN Men's Basketball

Phil Martelli hasn't cut a player since he was a high school coach 20 years ago.

That is until Saturday night.

Martelli, who is coaching the Under-21 USA National Team that will compete for the World Championship in Argentina next month, cut Michigan State junior guard Shannon Brown to get the roster down to 16.

Martelli didn't have to cut the other three players who went home from the tryouts in Dallas because all three were injured: Connecticut junior center Josh Boone (back spasm), Kansas sophomore center C.J. Giles (hip pointer) and Oklahoma State sophomore guard JamesOn Curry (fluid in right knee).

Martelli said he would keep 16 players through Sunday's scrimmage against the Dallas Mavericks summer league team and Wednesday's scrimmage against the Ukraine before trimming the roster to the final 12.

"That wasn't pleasant," Martelli said of telling Brown he was cut from the team. Brown got cut from the qualifying team last summer, too. "I had to get my thoughts together and make sure I didn't hurt his feelings. But he was great and knew he didn't shoot the ball well."

Martelli said he and his staff of Dennis Felton (Georgia) and Bruiser Flint (Drexel) are in the process of creating the team, instead of just picking it in the next few days.

Who doesn't make it from this point forward will be extremely tough.

Martelli said he'd like to keep two point guards, but he has 4½ at this stage. Memphis sophomore Darius Washington is the favorite to start with a close race for the backup brewing among Connecticut junior Marcus Williams, Kentucky sophomore Rajon Rondo and Oregon junior Aaron Brooks. The half is reserved for Temple senior Mardy Collins, who could have been cut if not for a stellar effort Friday night. Collins would likely play more off-guard in Sunday's scrimmage.

Martelli has a logjam on the wing, where he said he's got Connecticut sophomore Rudy Gay, Duke senior J.J. Redick, Villanova senior Allan Ray, Wake Forest senior Justin Gray and Arkansas junior Ronnie Brewer.

Boston College junior Jared Dudley has a shot to make the team because he could be used as a power forward where there is less competition. Gay will also play this position.

The four cuts could come from these 11 players since the injuries to Boone and Giles put a higher premium on the remaining big men: LSU sophomore Glen Davis, Syracuse junior Terrence Roberts, Oklahoma senior Taj Gray, Charlotte senior Curtis Withers and Nevada junior Nick Fazekas.

"We'll see how they handle the minutes, accepting their roles," Martelli said. "We're putting together the best team, not necessarily the players with the most talent. Basketball IQ will be very important since we're putting in so much in a short amount of time."

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.