A new supporter has emerged for the US table tennis squad.
Warriors star Steph Curry lingered after Friday’s team practice at Team USA’s basketball facility to offer his congratulations and have the players autograph his ping pong ball. The squad complied and sent Curry home with a Paris memento.
As a kind gesture, Curry also autographed several table tennis team members.
The United States table tennis team and basketball squad have been interacting all Olympics long; Friday’s match was only the most recent example. Anthony Edwards and the table tennis squad had a comical run-in before the Opening Ceremony, which Curry orchestrated.
The two teams have played in their respective sports since their first encounter: table tennis and basketball. Despite the United States’ lack of success in table tennis, Curry and his team are only just beginning their Olympic journey.
Team USA will play Puerto Rico in Saturday’s last group round match after defeating Serbia and South Sudan. The US will then play in a quarterfinal match to try to advance to the finals and capture a second consecutive gold medal.
In Los Angeles, Devin Booker Roasts D’Angelo Russell While Casting Shade on Referees
The two childhood friends discussed their rivalry in the NBA on D’Angelo Russell’s podcast, where Devin Booker made an appearance. While making a comment about the whistle he had in Los Angeles, Russell narrated a tale about a game versus Booker’s Phoenix Suns. The fact that the whistle did not accompany Russell to the Brooklyn Nets or the Golden State Warriors prompted Booker to make a humorous remark.
“I was in Los Angeles and we were playing Phoenix, and that’s one of my favorite stories, bro,” D’Angelo Russell said. A charming little whistle was what I used to receive. My boy in Los Angeles used to give me the whistle.
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“In Los Angeles?” asked Devin Booker. Isn’t that convenient? Neither Brooklyn nor California were it your cup of tea. I see your point.
There is no evidence that D’Lo has benefited from a more active whistle while wearing Lakers colors, but Booker did make a humorous passing remark about Russell. While playing for the Lakers, he had two of his worst free throw shooting seasons: his rookie year (2.4 FTA) and last season’s 23-24 performance (2.5 FTA).
While playing for both the Warriors and the Timberwolves in 2019–20, Russell had his finest shooting season from outside the arc. Even though the season was cut short, he still managed to rack up 4.4 FTA per game in his 48 games played (33 for the Warriors and 15 for the Wolves). While playing for the Lakers, Russell had his finest shooting season as a sophomore, averaging 3.0 free throws per game.
Because of their massive fan base and high star value, the Lakers are widely believed by fans and players alike to have the most active whistle in the NBA. This was the subject of a joke between Booker and Russell. On the other hand, Russell’s career free throw shooting statistics show that this might not be entirely accurate.
According to Devin Booker, the Miami Heat Were Going to Draft Him.
Together, Booker and Russell participated in the 2015 NBA Draft; the Lakers selected Russell with the second overall pick, while the Suns selected Booker with the thirteenth overall pick. But Booker could have jumped three spots in the draught if he had told Russell that he anticipated the Heat would take him at No. 10—as a 3-and-D player—in response to Pat Riley’s explicit instruction.
Going to Miami was my original plan. Pat Riley came to Miami for an interview and stated, “We’re looking for a Klay Thompson-type player, we need to up our shooting.” After that, my finest workout of the season ended. ‘Oh yeah, I’m looking at locations right by the arena.’ I just shot 40% in college.
Justise Winslow was instead selected by the Heat. Despite Winslow’s potential as a wing player, the Heat traded him after only five seasons. After the 22–23 season, he was inactive in the NBA.
In contrast, Booker is now widely considered to be among the league’s top performers. Despite playing a solely 3-and-D role, he has started every game for the United States Olympic team, where he has been an excellent complement to his superstar colleagues. Booker had a solid NBA season last year, averaging 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.