Before Team USA training camp started in Las Vegas, Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder told Donovan Mitchell to “be a sponge” around Team USA coach Gregg Popovich.
Mitchell followed Snyder's orders, as he's been taking notes from Popovich nonstop. The Jazz shooting guard is eager to learn from one of the best basketball coaches of all-time and he's not going to let this opportunity go to waste.
“Both Donovan and I have been excited for this opportunity, not just the chance to compete for his country but to play for Pop,” Snyder told Marc Stein of The New York Times. “I think he has an appreciation for the fact that he’s playing for the greatest coach that’s ever coached.
“Just try to throw yourself completely into it. And try to communicate with Coach as much as you can. Be a sponge. I just want Donovan to soak up as much as he can and come back. And then I’ll download it.”
All signs point toward Donovan Mitchell being the starting two guard for Team USA once the FIBA World Cup starts. Last week, Gregg Popovich said Mitchell “has a lot of offensive abilities that we like.”
Mitchell averaged 23.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season for the Jazz. He’s one of the best young scorers in the NBA and is only going to get better after working with Popovich.
The Jazz are going to be getting a more polished version of Mitchell when the 2019-20 NBA season starts thanks to Popovich.
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