Team USA often brings players together who have never been teammates before, but it can also re-unite former teammates as well. This is the case with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis and Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, who spent six seasons as teammates with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Davis and Holiday grew very close during their time together with the Pelicans and now both are set to play integral roles on Team USA, particularly on the defensive end. Their impact was certainly seen during Team USA’s exhibition win over Canada and afterwards, Davis had nothing but praise for Holiday.
The Lakers superstar spoke to reporters after the victory, calling Holiday one of his best friends while saying how excited he is to be his teammate once again, via Arash Markazi of Sporting Tribune:
“Unselfishness. He has no ego, he just wants to win. Obviously he’s a two-time champion. I think he should have multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he just wants to win. He’s a great guy, a great dude, one of my best friends in this league. Our families are really close. My wife and his wife are really close, he’s a great guy. It feels right to be his teammate again and to be honest I told my wife ‘I’ll do it if Jrue does it,’ so I’m just happy to be his teammate again.”
Davis and Holiday were two of Team USA’s best players in the game. Davis finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks while Holiday added 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in Team USA’s 14-point win. They were two of the main reasons why the Americans held Canada to just 33.8% shooting from the field.
But aside from the basketball side of things, it is clear that Davis truly loves and values Holiday as a person. The two really grew together in New Orleans and even though they are now on opposite sides of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, they have a close bond that won’t be broken. And now Team USA has brought them back together where they look ready to shut down everyone.
Lakers’ Anthony Davis excited to be coached by Steve Kerr on Team USA
It isn’t just players being brought together but also coaches as Steve Kerr is the head coach of Team USA and he has been opposing Anthony Davis for years now when the Lakers take on Kerr’s Golden State Warriors.
But Davis is excited to be coached by Kerr, saying that he has been everything he expected as a coach watching him from afar. Davis added that the two had conversations over the summer as well with Kerr apparently being happy to be on Davis’ side for once.
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