Kevin Durant to get used to playing with Thompson and Green in Rio
By Derek Tahara
Kevin Durant will have the opportunity to build chemistry with new teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green before the regular season starts in Rio at the Summer Olympics.
The 2016 Olympics are upon us, which means all of the USA Olympic teams are preparing to compete for gold medals in Rio this summer.
In particular, the Men’s USA Basketball team is preparing for the Olympics, but without some notable names such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry. However, three extremely talented players are going to Rio this summer and they are Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and newest Warrior and superscorer, Kevin Durant.
Now that Durant is on the Warriors, it is vital that he uses this experience in Rio to get familiar with his new Warriors teammates, even if it doesn’t include Steph Curry.
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After all, Durant has already played with Curry and super-sub, Andre Iguodala for the USA Basketball team in the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey. He already has had glimpses into the games of both of those guys and what they bring on a nightly basis. KD already having USA experience with Curry and Iguodala helps the chemistry-building process with the Warriors become a smoother and easier transition.
It will be important for KD to get to know the playing styles of Thompson and Green to be able to integrate his own play into their games. This Team USA experience will also be a time to bond and get to know Thompson and Green on a personal level that’s more than just basketball.
To expand on Durant using this summer’s Team USA experience as a springboard to build chemistry with his new teammates, he’ll see the strengths and weaknesses of Thompson and Green and try to help them improve on the weaknesses in their game.
For example, Thompson and Green will be able to see what side (left or right) he likes to drive to the basket. They will be able to see where he likes to post up. How many dribbles he takes before Durant rises for one of his patented silky jumpers. They could analyze how many jab steps he takes before he makes his move to the basket or go up for a jumper. Thompson and Green could look at the way Durant passes and when he passes so they would be in good position to make a play from his pass.
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Durant could do the same thing with his new teammates on the basketball court. He could analyze the moves that Thompson and Green make and put them in a position to become better basketball players. KD could can get a feel for what side Thompson likes to drive or what areas behind the three-point line he likes to shoot. He could analyze the communication on defense that the two All-Stars have when they switch on defense.
It will take time for KD to make the adjustment of playing with new teammates, but when you have a summer of playing in the Olympics, the chemistry-building process should become much smoother.