Celtics are all smiles as Team Shamrock takes over USA Basketball training camp

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-are-all-smiles-team-shamrock-takes-over-usa-basketball-training-camp




Celtics are all smiles as Team Shamrock takes over USA Basketball training camp




By Chris Forsberg

August 05, 2019 8:22 PM




LAS VEGAS — On the eve of Team USA training camp, Boston Celtics teammates Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum were photographed walking side-by-side into a team meeting at their Las Vegas hotel.

The snapshot, showing the three players with wide smiles on their faces as they chatted while walking ahead of other campers, immediately became the poster for this Team USA experience. Playfully dubbed Team Shamrock by Smart, the Celtics are here in Vegas not only to represent their country on a global stage but to lay the foundation upon which they hope their own Redeem Team will be built next season.

"That [photo] wasn’t planned at all, by the way,” Smart said after Team USA’s first workout Monday on the campus of UNLV.

Yes, it seems these Celtics are just sorta gravitating towards each other now. Which is why, when their Team USA chores were complete on Sunday night, the trio of returning Celtics and newcomer Kemba Walker all ventured out to dinner together on the Vegas strip in hopes of building the chemistry that these players believe will be vital to the team’s overall success — particularly coming off the train wreck that was last season.

"We talked a little bit about basketball, nothing crazy, but really just knowing each other’s personality,” Smart said of the Team Shamrock dinner.

Added Brown: "It was fun. We got some good guys here, so we’re starting to build that chemistry early. Hanging out with Kemba, seeing what he’s like.”

Just how important is that chemistry for this year’s group?

"It’s huge,” said Smart. "Everybody knows that championship teams… or really great teams, they have a certain oomph to them, where you look at them and you’re like, ‘Those guys, they’ve been together for a while,’ or, ‘Those guys really know how to play well with one another.’ That’s all we’re trying to build.”

Walker spent much of Day 1 of training camp with a grin on his face, even as he showed some summer rust on his handles. There were some intriguing glimpses, like when he exploded to the basket for an and-1 layup late during an intrasquad scrimmage. But he missed a potential scrimmage-tying 3-pointer for the blue team at the buzzer — with Brown defending — as the white squad squeaked out a win (Brown promptly declared bragging rights over his teammates).

But Walker is clearly smitten to get to know his new teammates — with Team USA but especially with the Celtics.

“It was fun. Fun to be out there with those [Celtics] guys,” said Walker. "Those guys are super cool, fun to be around. I’m enjoying my time with them.”

Walker then reaffirmed how players like Tatum and Brown played heavily into his decision to sign in Boston. He noted how he talked to Tatum in Paris and Brown the year before in South Africa. He didn’t know Smart as well but gushed about him Monday while noting, "He’s one of those guys that you want to have on your team, or you have to have on your team.”

To be sure, there is always good vibes this time of year. And yet it’s hard to ignore the positivity around the Celtics this summer. This doesn’t feel like a team that saw two All-Stars depart for Eastern Conference rivals. There’s a genuine air of excitement about what lies ahead.

First look: Kemba practices with Celtics teammates
The Celtics have not shied away from admitting that last year did not go as anyone expected. Boston players have routinely taken the high road and not pinned their struggles on any one player and most insist the team simply never clicked.

Asked about the good vibes this summer, Brown’s response was particularly notable.

"It can only be positive. Last year, I can’t see it being any worse than that,” said Brown. "Coming out and being positive is everybody’s mindset.”

Pressed on the dysfunction that Smart had already admitted existed earlier this summer, Brown had no desire to look in the rearview mirror.

"I don’t really want to get into the logistics and talking about it,” said Brown. "It was dysfunctional, yes, but it’s over with now. I’m here with USA Basketball, I’m looking forward to what’s to come next, and we’ll see how the ball rolls.”

Long after practice had ended, Brown and Tatum remained on one of the practice courts inside the Mendenhall Center playing a rotating game of 1-on-1 that also featured Miami’s Bam Adebayo. The buzzer blew loudly twice after the allotted 30 minutes of media access time expired and Team USA coach Gregg Popovich playfully stomped onto the court to fetch Brown as reporters were peppering him with final questions long after the buzzer.

Popovich threw his arm around a smiling Brown and the two walked off together. When Walker burst through the side doors soon after, the fans waiting in the 112-degree for an autograph or a selfie roared for his arrival. Even more smiles.

Yup, that’s been the theme of this trip so far.

"Very excited. Very excited [about next season],” said Brown. "I’m looking forward to it. We’ll see what happens but I’m excited. I’m really [trying to be] positive, not thinking about anything negative. Just coming forward and trying to be the best version of Celtics basketball.”



bob


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It is a great first step to have four of the prominent members of the Cs looking forward and not backwards.

That's what these guys do for a living should be...fun! Now get me a CHAMPIONSHIP! haha

db

Marcus Smart should be named Team Captain.

I truly believe that coach Stevens needs to rethink his 'everybody is a leader' philosophy.   As the old saying tells us, Too many cooks spoil the soup (broth).

The Celtics have a dynamic young core in Smart, Brown and Tatum.  Add Hayward, Walker and Kanter to that group and you have a strong veteran presence.

I have no earthly idea about where this season will end up but it is impossible not to feel the excitement and energy associated with a New Beginning.

Absolutely agree dboss Smart should be captain!

bob



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Here is a projection for the Team USA's final 12 roster spots.

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2019/08/07/team-usa-roster-fiba-world-cup


Breaking down the 12-man Team USA roster, which could feature multiple Celtics
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker are the four Celtics players who will suit up for Team USA to compete in the FIBA World Cup this year. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker are the four Celtics players who will suit up for Team USA training camp. –AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

LAS VEGAS – The last time USA Basketball ventured overseas to compete in the FIBA World Cup, in 2014, Coach Mike Krzyzewski had an embarrassment of riches at his disposal. Virtually the entire roster was composed of former lottery picks, including No. 1 overall selections Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Derrick Rose. Coach K trotted out two future MVPs – Stephen Curry and James Harden – and future all-stars at all five positions. That group thrashed the competition in Spain, going 9-0 and winning by an average of 33 points.

The state of USAB is quite different with the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China approaching: Gregg Popovich has replaced Krzyzewski, and a long list of stars has elected to sit out following a busy summer free agency period and with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon. For the first time in more than a decade, a major international basketball tournament will be held in which the marquee talents – Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic – are not Americans.

While USAB is working through a coaching change and stuck fielding a B-team, it remains the heavy favorite to win gold. Its chief advantage will be its depth: Popovich’s roster might not include the World Cup’s top individual talents, but he will still have a dozen proven NBA players, including multiple budding stars.

With USAB set to open training camp here on Monday, let’s look at an early 12-man roster projection.

Note: Popovich’s final picks will be made before USAB heads on an overseas tour later this month.

– Point guards: Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, De’Aaron Fox
Walker, who has spent most of his career toiling for the lowly Charlotte Hornets, is quickly shedding his rep as a forgotten man. After a splashy move to the Boston Celtics last month, the 29-year-old all-star pencils in as USAB’s lead scoring playmaker. Throughout the past decade, USAB has utilized high-level shooters at the point guard spot to maximize space in the half court. Walker should naturally carry on that tradition.

Lowry won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but his status is in question due to recent surgery on his thumb. If he withdraws, Popovich could carry both Fox, an electric speed demon who will open camp on USA’s younger “Select team,” and Marcus Smart, a hard-nosed defensive specialist. If Lowry heals, Popovich will face a tougher choice.

– Shooting guards: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown
USAB Managing Director Jerry Colangelo is hoping for breakthroughs from multiple rising stars, and Mitchell and Brown are both good candidates to deliver. Mitchell has lots of reps serving as a lead offensive option in Utah, including during two playoff runs, while Brown is exactly the type of two-way, multi-positional athlete that has long thrived in USAB’s system.

– Small forwards: Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum
Middleton, long one of the NBA’s most underrated players, is on a stellar run: He made his first all-star team in February, he played in his first conference finals in May, he earned his first max contract in July, and he could claim his first gold medal in September. Best deployed as a secondary scorer, his three-point range and plus defense should earn him plenty of minutes.

Tatum might be the most fascinating player to watch in China. Debates over his style of play on offense have raged in recent months, with critics hoping to see quicker decisions and more aggressive drives to the hoop rather than ball-pounding and contested long twos. Against FIBA competition, he should have the space, the opportunity and the talent to counter the nitpicking.

– Power forwards: P.J. Tucker, Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma
The power forward spot might be the toughest to nail down: Kuzma is arguably the biggest name, Barnes has USAB equity because he won gold at the 2016 Olympics, Tucker is a quintessential glue guy, and Thaddeus Young is a savvy, skilled vet who could also log minutes as an undersized center.

USAB has long had an affinity for unselfish vets such as Tayshaun Prince and Andre Iguodala, and Tucker is the obvious candidate to follow in their footsteps this year. The Houston Rockets forward is fully content to forsake his own offense in favor of rebounding, defending multiple positions and playing with constant energy.

Although Barnes continues to work his way through an unspectacular career, it would be surprising if USAB cut him after including him on the Rio roster. His spot-up 3-point shooting and defensive versatility make him a decent fit with the rest of this group on paper.

Kuzma’s ability to create a shot and score in bunches set him apart from USAB’s other frontcourt options.

– Centers: Myles Turner, Brook Lopez
Turner, a high-level shot-blocker with good mobility, has a real chance to enhance his reputation with a strong tournament. The 23-year-old Indiana Pacers center began to gain some attention last year, when he finished fifth in defensive player of the year voting, but he’s just getting started.

The lumbering Lopez will need to prove that he’s a stylistic fit with USAB, which has tended to blitz opponents off the court with pace and pressure. His sheer size and interior defense could be helpful against the likes of Jokic and Rudy Gobert, though, and his shooting would allow USAB to play deadly lineups sporting outside threats at all five positions.

Given its need to defend traditional centers, it’s possible that USAB elects to bring a third center such as Denver’s Mason Plumlee. Remember: international rules only allow for five fouls, rather than the NBA’s limit of six.

The experience for our young guys playing for Team USA is very important.  The fact that we have 4 Celtics on this team speaks volumes about how they are viewed.  

As the Celtics embark on a new chapter, the value of this core group establishing camaraderie is sure to pay dividends.

Looking ahead to next season makes it very easy to forget what happened this past season.  It is like driving down the highway and glancing at the rear view mirror.  Everything behind us gets smaller and smaller until it disappears.