Donovan Mitchell: “This is a dogfight”

By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net

Donovan Mitchell met with the media in Sydney as the US national team is back to practicing for their last prep game against Canada on Monday. And the Utah Jazz guard explained that the defeat by Australia doesn’t change much mentality-wise.

The goal remains the gold, and when asked is the loss has shaken the team’s confidence, Mitchell was quite clear: “Not at all. I think everybody makes more of a big deal out of it than we do. For us, the main thing we learned is that this is a dogfight. It’s a little bit different than NBA basketball. I think that’s one thing we’re getting used to. These teams have played with each other since they were much younger. We have about three or four weeks under our belt. So, we have to be able to match that chemistry, match that intensity as quickly as we possibly can”. 

Coach Gregg Popovich also expects from his players to bounce back: “These guys are grown men. They have families. It’s their job. I mean, you guys have a job every day. If you have a bad day, what do you do? Jump in a hole somewhere? You go to work the next day”.

Popovich also talked about Kyle Kuzma missing the World Cup and being the last cut from the team roster due to his ankle injury: “It’s a huge disappointment because he was a young, energetic guy who was really learning and could play a lot of positions for us. Mostly, I feel bad for him, because he missed playing and this holds him back a little bit for the season also. So, hopefully, he’ll heal quickly. But, he was wonderful while he was here, and we do miss him”.

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