The respect that players have for longtime Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was instrumental in getting star players to commit to Team USA for the Summer Olympics, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports. Popovich reached out to players but wasn’t overbearing and that helped gain their trust, compared to prior years when Team USA dealt with dozens of decommitments.
After Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant pledged to participate, Popovich and manager director Jerry Colangelo worked with the two perennial All-Stars to recruit other players.
Windhorst also offered up some other interesting tidbits:
- Lillard was miffed when he missed the final cut before Team USA went to Spain for the World Cup in 2014. That played a role in his decision not to compete for the 2016 Olympic team. With Popovich now coaching the team and knowing this could be a last chance play in the Olympics, Lillard was eager to sign up this time.
- While Kevin Love‘s stature around the league has taken a big hit in recent years, Popovich valued his versatility and shooting. The Cavaliers were also very supportive of Love’s opportunity to play for Team USA.
- Pistons forward Jerami Grant was offered a spot after James Harden declined due his hamstring injury. Lillard and Durant vouched for Grant, which tipped the scales in his favor for one of the last roster spots.
- On the international front, former Mavericks forward Ryan Broekhoff has withdrawn from the Australian national team due to mental health issues, Sportando relays. “My mental health is something I have struggled with for a long time and I think it’s important for me to put my hand up and admit when things aren’t OK and that it is time to seek help,” he said in a statement.
- Lakers guard Dennis Schröder will not play for Germany during the Olympic qualifying tournament next week due to insurance issues, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets. Schroder will be entering free agency this summer.
jalen rose is an idiot. jay williams right there too. trying way to hard.
100%. Notice how hardly anyone wants to talk about it.
Espn personalities in general are the worst. They lost all the good ones because they’re cheap and want people they can control. Jay Williams is by far the worst. Uses dated cliche slang trying to sound street and sounds like a clown. And he always acts like the smartest guy in the room when he obviously clueless. The tweet he had about black Celtics coaches sums up both of my points. Oh wait he was “hacked”
yup… and both of their radio shows are terrible. Espn/ABC has to revamp there line ups. its so unwatchable.
USA has a ridiculously strong squad no doubt. I can’t wait to see em in action. I’m thinking Dame/Jrue/Tatum/KD/Bam as starters but its hard to go wrong with any combination of 5 of those guys tbh. They’re still gonna have a lot of comp for a spot on the medal stand tho
Basketball around the world has gotten so much better its going to be a really fun Olympics (if it happens) to watch. That being said, if you can’t at the least get a podium spot with this team something went very, very wrong.
Very talented team. But I’m a little concerned with their size Bam is their only true 5 and even he is more of a point forward type. World teams are usually pretty big so that is something to watch.