NBA does not intend to release its players for in-season World Cup qualifying windows

NBA stars will not play in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification round because NBA will not allow its players to play with their national teams during the season.

ESPN, in an article written by Marc Stein, explains the options that USA Basketball has for the qualification round.

NBA D-Leaguers, by contrast, will indeed be made available for selection to USA Basketball squads that are scheduled to begin playing 2019 World Cup qualifying games in November.

Another possibility, according to USA Basketball sources, ‎is recruiting Americans who are playing abroad in selected leagues that will consent to releasing players for qualifying windows.

While new USA Basketball head coach Gregg Popovich is engaged with his San Antonio Spurs responsibilities, sources said one option USAB has considered is employing multiple head coaches during the various qualifying periods for the fresh rosters that will be selected for each of the six two-game qualifying sets to come.

But the more likely scenario for now, sources said, is the hiring of one coach not currently in charge of an NBA team to handle the 12 qualifying games.