featured-image

Around the Web: George Turning Heads at USA Camp

After three days at the 2014 USA Basketball Men's National Team Training Camp in Las Vegas, it's safe to say Paul George is making his presence known.

Just ask Kevin Durant.

The reigning NBA MVP took to Instagram late last night to share the following post, which refers to George as "a problem" and someone who the MVP feels is "definitely getting me better:"

NBA.com's John Schuhmann is in Vegas, and yesterday he wrote about how George and Durant are carrying the USA's recent legacy of dynamic duos at the forward position. According to Schuhmann, George seems to be a lock to not only make the roster for next month's FIBA World Cup, but to start alongside Durant.

"With those two teamed with Anthony Davis, the U.S. starting frontline is pretty much set in stone," Schuhmann writes.

For each of the first three days, George, Durant, and Davis have been teamed together in 5-on-5 work. It's the first time the three have really played together — Davis and Durant were both on the 2012 Olympic team, but Durant was a starter and 19-year-old Davis was a seldom-used reserve. So the emphasis right now is on the three most talented frontcourt players in camp learning how to play together.

“We’re going to play a lot together,” Durant said. “The chemistry is going to come. But if we stick with it, continue to keep learning and playing off each other, we can be great.”

Since he figures to play alongside some of the NBA's most elite scorers (two of Derrick Rose, James Harden, and Stephen Curry will likely start), George recognizes that he may make his biggest mark on the opposite end.

"I [have] got to be a defender,” George told Schuhmann Wednesday. “We got guys that can make shots, run the floor and make plays. I got to be a defender for us. We got a bunch of defenders here, but I can be the versatile one that can guard 1-4 and be able to make plays when I need to.”

Here are a few more quotes from George and others over the first few days of practice, courtesy of USA Basketball:

On if he changed his preparation when he found out about the camp: “No, not really. It’s just getting used to the (FIBA) basketball. Learning how to dribble, learning how to shoot with it. And just doing repetition stuff and making sure my body was conditioned well enough. It’s a different intensity playing with this team.”

On if he feels he’s adjusted to the USA Basketball coaching staff this year: “Yeah, we’re starting to understand what Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) likes and his playing style. We’re starting to transform more and more every year on the way he plays the game. It’s been great for both of us, Coach K as well as the players because he has a different mind and he has a great mind of the game. He helps a lot of us out and myself, I’ve learned a lot from him.”

On whether he’s grown closer to anybody since the start of training camp practice: “Yeah. I grew closer with a lot of these guy. A lot of these guys I consider brothers so it’s good to come out here, work hard and train together...John (Wall). John is always my guy. It’s good to be here with DeMarcus (Cousin). I enjoy playing with Gordon (Hayward). It’s my first time being alongside KD (Kevin Durant). It’s gaining a little chemistry with all those guys.”

On what the coaches are stressing most to the players: “It’s defense and keeping that intensity. USA Basketball, we rely on our athleticism, our elite speed, our elite quickness to make plays and get out and play a fast-tempo.”

On Derrick Rose: “He looked great. He looked like he didn’t miss a beat. It looked like he played last season as well as a full season before that. I’m happy to see him back on the floor. Although he’s in the East and in the Central Division, I still hate to see guys go down. It’s great to see him out here. He looks great and I’m excited to play alongside him.”

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski on Paul George and Kevin Durant playing on the same team during practice: “Part of it is we know that those guys are going to be on the team. We’re not going to rev it out of a hat too quick or anything. It’s about Chemistry and we can see different groups with them. The thing though that we haven’t been able to do is take a look at Paul at the four, which he can also be at. We wanted that with different guard tandems, like with (James) Harden and (Derrick) Rose, Irving and Curry and Damian Lillard. So you get them all a chance to play with those two guys and with Anthony (Davis).”

To see George in the red, white, and blue, be sure to tune into the USA Basketball Showcase, an intrasquad scrimmage which will air on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday night.