Gregg Popovich is one of the longest-standing coaches in the NBA and among the most seasoned in the history of basketball. He’s been coaching the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and also took over the responsibilities of coaching Team USA for their 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympics run.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which took place in 2021) saw Popovich lead a squad headlined by Kevin Durant to the Gold medal even after facing early adversity with a shock loss to Australia. Durant was easily the best player on the team as the USA won the Gold medal once again.
Coach Pop described Durant’s post-practice workout during the Olympics and said that he, his staff, and other players were mesmerized by what they saw.
Gregg Popovich says USA Basketball players and coaches were “mesmerized” watching Kevin Durant’s post-practice workout during the 2020 Olympics. pic.twitter.com/kzNniMPRLx
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 2, 2023
“I don’t think a lot of people understand. They just think he’s talented and he’s really good at getting his shot off, and so on and so forth. When practices were over, not just the other players but the coaching staff, we’d all be mesmerized watching him go through his individual workout. He’d go over on one of the baskets, usually Will Hardy would take him over there, and he busted Will’s butt for like 45 minutes chasing balls and throwing it back to him as he did his workout starting inside and going outside and making moves, pivoting, doing the whole deal. It was just his way. I don’t think other players from other teams did those sorts of things. Love the game in that way to really work on all the basics all the fundamentals. It was special. He was the leader of the group, for sure.”
It isn’t easy to have a coach of Gregg Popovich’s experience become mesmerized by a player, but Kevin Durant has achieved this incredible feat.
Kevin Durant Leading The Nets To Their First-Ever Title?
The Nets were out of the conversation for possible champions after the first month of the season. The team was struggling to stay above .500 in an unhappy locker room. However, Jacque Vaughn came in and changed the morale of the team. Now, they’re on a 12-game win streak and about to snatch the No. 1 seed from the Boston Celtics.
Durant has averaged 29.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, with 1.5 blocks a game and shooting at 55.6% efficiency. KD is playing at an incredibly high level and has entered the MVP conversation. If the Nets end the season as the best team in the NBA, it’ll be very hard to deny him that crown or stop him from winning a third NBA Championship.
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