Just two weeks after Paul George's gruesome injury, Team USA has again lost a major star in their quest for world basketball supremacy in the upcoming 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. NBA's reigning MVP Kevin Durant unexpectedly withdrew from the tournament due to physical and mental exhaustion. It has been said that Durant was to become the leader of the American squad as the team is heavily favored to win the title . Wow, USA Basketball Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski is left with a team haunted with injuries and without a leader to rally them against the best National Teams in the world.

ESPNChicago.com  published Krzyzewski's thoughts on the aftermath of Durant's withdrawal, "It's one of those things; you don't replace Kevin Durant. You look different. And so we have today and [Friday] to look different before we play a really good team. That's of concern for me because we were pretty far along. We had our best camp ever in Vegas since I've coached [Team USA]. Those guys were terrific. We had more in [game plan-wise], but we had more in to play a certain way. And then Kevin deciding not to play ... it's concerning."

Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and LaMarcus Aldridge have already declined their participation in the tournament. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul are sitting it out this year after bringing gold for the US in every major international basketball competition for the last decade. The big question now is who will lead USA Basketball heading into the World Cup of Basketball?

Jeffrey Eisenband of ThePostGame believes that Stephen Curry is ready to step up to the challenge. He wrote, "In 2014, Curry will be at the forefront of Team USA, as it trots into the FIBA World Cup with some scabs hanging off it. He is a constant on a national team in flux. For Curry, there is no looking back. The man who says he is a better offensive player than LeBron James wants that leadership role."

Now that Durant is gone, Curry is arguably the most lethal offensive weapon in Team USA's roster and the No.1 go to guy in clutch situations. The All-Star point guard sizzled for the Golden State Warriors last season, averaging 24 points and 8.5 assists per game (both career highs) while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three-point range along with several highlight reel clutch shots and buzzer beaters. Curry is also familiar with international hoops as he played for USA Basketball in the 2010 FIBA World Cup in a team that brought home the Gold.

Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit, however, believes that Curry will have to fulfill a much bigger and more significant role that he did in 2010. He was a role player for Team USA four years ago in Turkey and only managed to put up 4.6 points and 2.1 assists in 17 minutes per game.