Las Vegas is heating up as the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team is in town for their Olympic runs. It might be an experience to play with one of the greats on the same team, while usually, they are on different sides of the court. And reports from Day 1 of practice are in. Western Conference rivals, Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis got to play alongside each other for the first time, and the Lakers big man confessed to liking the experience.
On Day 1 Olympic practice, at the University of Nevada’s Mendenhall Center, Kerr began his training camp with competitive scrimmages, resulting in some interesting matchups. After one such drill between AD and Steph, the Lakers forward was thrilled to hoop alongside the veteran,
“I’ll tell you what, this guy named Steph Curry is phenomenal to play with,” Davis said. “He was on my team today and I got so many open looks.”
Considering Curry’s presence on the court, it’s no surprise. His ability to pull up from half-court makes defenses play up. A pick-and-roll with AD and Curry would have been a spectacle to watch.
Besides Curry and Davis, the media also went around asking other stars on the roster how they faired on Day 1 of practice. Jrue Holiday, who will handle significant defensive duties on the squad, felt confident after the runs. The two-time champion said,
” It was a good man. Good to get back at it, it’s not been that long for me. Went through some drills, went through some plays. Played with some of the best players in the world so it was a good time.”
Bam Adebayo was next, describing his experience, and he looked locked in. He reiterated LeBron James’s previous message as he chose to focus on the fact that the team was keyed in on winning gold, and nothing else.
The Suns guard Devin Booker was also featured in the media coverage, with the 27-year-old speaking on his gratitude for the experience. Heading into the first week of practice, Coach Kerr might emphasize adjusting players to the FIBA rule set. With smaller courts and a longer shot clock, the game at the international level might pose some challenges to the team.