Why Gregg Popovich is right that players are better after a summer of international basketball
VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - It's easy to see why a player would want to suit up for his national team.
Here in Spain, it's the camaraderie. Many of the players have known each other since their youth national team days. Every summer is a reunion. They call it "La Familia."
In the Jerry Colangelo era of USA Basketball, with Mike Krzyzewski serving as national team coach at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, patriotism has been a prevailing theme.
“ALMOST TO A MAN THESE PLAYERS GO BACK TO THEIR TEAMS AND THEY’RE BETTER PLAYERS. THEY COMPETED AGAINST THE BEST, THEY’VE BEEN SELFLESS IN THAT ENDEAVOR AND I THINK IT BENEFITS THEIR TEAMS WHEN THEY GET BACK HOME.”
Before the 2012 London Olympics, for example, the USA players visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice of dying for their country.
There has been another important reason for the USA players to suit up for the national team. After a summer of intense competition, the players are better.
It's something that Gregg Popovich, who will lead the United States as coach this summer at the World Cup in China, recently pointed out when discussing why players wanted to compete in international basketball.
"It's not about trying to look good or get a new contract," Popovich said, "and it’s interesting because one of the other tangential things, one of the other offshoots to this, what Jerry, Coach K (Krzyzewski) and the staff did in the past, besides winning, was almost to a man these players go back to their teams and they’re better players. They competed against the best, they've been selfless in that endeavor and I think it benefits their teams when they get back home."
Russell Westbrook took his game to new heights during and after the 2010 World Cup in Turkey
Let those words sink in.
Popovich, the most revered of coaches in the NBA after serving nearly a quarter of a century at the helm of the San Antonio Spurs, one of the league's great clubs, says "almost to a man" the members of the USA squads return to their teams as "better players".
Russell Westbrook is a great example. After representing the USA for the first time and shining in its FIBA Basketball World Cup 2010 triumph in Istanbul, Westbrook returned to Oklahoma City and took his game to new heights. He was named an All-Star for the first time in 2011 and was also All-NBA Second Team that year.
Popovich will coach the USA at this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup in China
Players improve when squaring off against Argentina, Brazil and Puerto Rico. They get better after facing Australia and New Zealand, or European giants like France, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Turkey and Serbia.
The USA players learn about sacrifice. Almost all pour in the points for their NBA teams, yet with the USA, each has done what was needed to be done to win games, whether it was focusing on being a defensive stopper or sitting on the bench and cheering on the team.
Popovich has had legendary players from other countries on his Spurs teams like Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto of Argentina and Tony Parker of France. He's had Pat Mills and Aron Baynes of Australia, Boban Marjanovic of Serbia, Marco Belinelli of Italy and Pau Gasol of Spain.
He's also coached against greats like Germany legend Dirk Nowitzki. He knows how international basketball has helped these players.
Whether they are American or from some other part of the world, players that compete in international basketball grow an additional layer of toughness. When they come back to the NBA after a big event like a World Cup, they're better.
Popovich is excited about coaching in the first-ever 32-team FIBA Basketball World Cup in China, where the USA will take on Japan, Turkey and the Czech Republic in the Group Phase of the First Round. He sure won't be taking anything for granted, and his players won't, either.
"We respect the teams (opponents) more than you’ll know," he said. "Our eyes are wide open what the task ahead is."
Jeff Taylor
FIBA
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