By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – It’s not breaking news: Team USA came to Switzerland to be on top of the competition at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, and here they are at the Championship Game.
One of the reasons why the most stacked team of the competition has arrived up until this point also owes to Koa Peat. Even considering the Semi-Finals against New Zealand, where his playing time was limited, he’s still putting up 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
On the eve of the biggest game of the summer against Germany, the future member of the Arizona Wildcats touched on Team USA’s mentality, considering the growth of their opponents.
“The coaches were preaching that to us for the whole training camp we had before this, that the competition is going to be better. We had to come out every game prepared and just ready to play,” Koa Peat told Eurohoops about the general development of the competition.
Among the teams that proved to be challenging for Team USA, there’s Germany, the other finalist. “I think they’re a great team. If we just prepare, go out there with confidence and play hard, we’ll be happy with the result if we just go out there and play our hardest,” the 18-year-old also said.
“When you read all the books and watch all the movies about the Dream Team, the Redeem Team, you notice that the world’s catching up. There are good players all around the world,” Peat added.
“And it’s beautiful to see that this game’s bringing so many people together, with these many good players coming from everywhere in the world,” he also commented about more and more International players going to the NCAA.
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The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup is special for Koa Peat, also thanks to the presence of his future head coach in college, as Tommy Lloyd took the head coaching position in Team USA this summer.
“It’s been great, just some of the stuff he’s been telling me about my game, just getting to know him as a coach, running some of the same sets he runs here in Team USA. It’s been good,” the future Arizona Wildcat shared about his next leader in the NCAA.
In college, the forward with Samoan roots (“It’s a part of me, super important”) will learn how to adjust at the highest level, preparing for the NBA, where his current role models are already showcasing.
“I like Paolo [Banchero], I like Cade Cunningham, Kawhi Leonard, just bigger wings and guards who could do a little bit of everything on court, who are versatile, also strong, and can make the right decision, who are good leaders on the court,” Koa Peat said about his most meaningful inspirations.
The 18-year-old is the youngest of seven children, born in a family that breathes sports, where competition runs through their veins. So what has he learned from his father, Todd Peat, for nine seasons in the NFL, and all his other sporting siblings?
“Just the hard work and dedication it takes to be at the highest level. They’ve pushed me to get better each and every day, and they keep me grounded, so I’m really thankful for that,” he answered.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIBA