Coming in with an all-NBA staff for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Team USA landed in Manila as high contenders for the gold medal.
For head coach Steve Kerr and Jalen Brunson, the stress or the burden of being favorites, is one thing they simply embody of their preparations.
“For me personally, there’s no such thing as pressure,” Brunson mentioned in a press convention on Friday. “I figured out that as long as I am continually working hard on my game, putting everything I can into what I do, in my craft, there’s no such thing as pressure.”
Brunson mentioned there could also be completely different moments in a recreation the place stakes could also be excessive, however he has his teammates to depend on.
“As long as I keep working hard and knowing that I’m doing something every day to get better, there’s no pressure,” he added.
“For the team, we’re going to rely on each other when moments like that happen. Where all we got and that’s all we can worry about.”
Kerr, in the meantime, mentioned the stress is all the time part of a contest.
“We all love what we do. I love coaching, I love the weight or the pressure or how you might want to describe it of competition, and part of being a competitor is embracing the fact that you can lose,” the Team USA coach mentioned.
“What goes into that is the effort and the approach and the chemistry and I love being part of a team. I love doing what we’re doing right now, trying to build something and have something at stake,” Kerr mentioned, referring to the potential for profitable the gold medal.
The champion coach mentioned whereas they are going to strategy the video games having enjoyable and the mindset of being lucky to be right here, they are going to nonetheless have their eyes on the prize.
“We’re putting in the effort, we want to win, whatever happens, happens, and we’ll live with that. That’s part of the competition.”
Team USA will face New Zealand of their World Cup opener on Saturday on the Mall of Asia Arena.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
