This is where you insert your “if one more player drops from USA Basketball” joke...
Team USA has flown to Australia for a series of FIBA World Cup tuneup games — two against Australia, one against Canada — and they are practicing there for a few days prior to those games. At one of those practices, USA (and Spurs) coach Gregg Popovich showed off a little behind-the-back dribble and midrange game, and Donovan Mitchell caught it on his camera and posted it.
Coach Pop staying ready in case another Team USA player withdraws 😤
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) August 19, 2019
(via @spidadmitchell | IG) pic.twitter.com/YOWJNclVyi
Just as a reminder, Pop did play. Never in the NBA, but he was one of the last cuts of the 1972 USA Olympic team.
That said, I think the coaching gig worked out pretty well for him.
Team USA will play Australia on Aug. 22 and 24, then face Canada on Aug. 26. From there the USA flies to China where its first game is Sept. 1 against the Czech Republic.
