Despite numerous withdrawals and invitation declines from NBA stars, Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich tried to develop strong chemistry among the players who were selected to compete at the FIBA World Cup in China. Popovich is well known for his marathon dinners, which he uses to make the players more comfortable.
📸 Official: The 2019 USA Men's World Cup Team
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However, the players decided to spend the first night in China without coaching staff, and Popovich was thrilled. “They’ve become close in a short period of time,” Popovich said. “The camaraderie has blossomed, and I think that will bode well for us.”
On the way from Australia to China, a group text went out, calling for a players-only dinner. The group went out and picked the local Morton’s Steakhouse, but the real point was the players wanting to know each other better.
“We have great chemistry, I think. We’re getting along really well,” Kemba Walker said. “We want to play for each other, and that’s the biggest thing.”
Walker paid the dinner bill given his new $140 million contract with the Boston Celtics. He even joked it wasn’t the first time he’d pay a bill and wouldn’t be the last either.
Coach Popovich knows that the team still has a lot to do to get to the gold medal, especially after a recent loss to Australia that ended the Americans’ 78-game win streak. But still, Gregg is hopeful they can work together and win the third straight gold medal.
“You have to enjoy being with people in order to feel responsible for them,” Popovich said. “To be accountable to each other, you have to have some sort of empathetic bond. You have to love each other to a degree.”
H/T: ESPN
