Learning how to win
LaVine honored to be on Team USA for Olympics — and wants to bring winning mentality back to Bulls
Zach LaVine’s enthusiasm certainly seems to have made an impression on some of the leaders of USA Basketball.
Jerry Colangelo, the managing director for the men’s national team, remarked about how excited LaVine was over the phone after getting invited to play for Team USA. It has been less than a week of training camp, but coach Gregg Popovich raved about LaVine’s energy after practice Friday.
“He is somebody who really wanted to do this, number one,” Popovich said on a zoom call from mini-camp in Las Vegas. “His energy level is high, his commitment is fantastic and he is willing to do anything we ask him to do.”
LaVine never was shy about his desire to compete for Team USA during the season and said he was ecstatic when he got the invitation.
“It’s an honor . ... It just shows I’ve been on the right path to be selected,” LaVine said. “I’ve been trying to do the right things and just let my hard work and my game speak for itself.
“I just want to bring back a winning mentality. These are guys that have been around winning. This will probably be the best team that I’ll be around, so try and compete for gold, pick up little tricks and just that mentality of how they approach practice, pregame, things like that, talks in the locker room. All that stuff I’m trying to bring back and add some little extra ammo for my own well-being.’’
Only three Bulls players — Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Jimmy Butler — have won a gold medal. LaVine should be in a good position to become the fourth as the men’s basketball team goes for its fourth consecutive gold medal.
This will be LaVine’s first appearance on an Olympics stage, coming off a breakout season in which he was named to his first All-Star team. The accolades and recognition have started to pour in for LaVine, but he denied Friday that they offered him any validation.
“I want to be a winner,” LaVine said. “Everything will come with winning. And the better I get, the better I make my team, the more accolades you get individually, so all that stuff will come. But I felt good about myself because of the way I played, not because somebody told me I’ve got or I achieved. I know how good I am and I know where I want to be at.”
LaVine, who could become an unrestricted free agent next summer, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. He made it clear after the season that he wanted to be “paid what he’s worth,” and considering he could sign a much bigger extension next season — and doing so this summer would eat up Bulls cap room — it might not make sense for either party to sign a longterm deal this soon.
Yet LaVine still said he plans to talk with the Bulls front office soon about his contract status, and he expressed confidence about that situation.
“I think it’s going to play out the right way,” he said. “I haven’t been worrying about it right now, but we should be in talks soon, and we’ll see what happen.’’
For now, LaVine has just been soaking up the opportunity. He’ll have the chance to interact and bond with some of the biggest stars in the league, and the Olympic team is famous for means as a recruiting ground.
“Players (are going to) be players, man,” LaVine said. “You’re going to mingle and talk. But we’re here for one goal — we’re trying to win the gold medal. Whatever comes from that, friendships, teammates, that’s an afterthought. But you know how the NBA is — everybody talks and it’s a player’s league, so we understand what goes on. Something happens, it happens.”
LaVine never has played in the postseason during his seven years in the NBA, so he’s likely about to play in the most high-pressure games of his career. And considering Team USA is filled with players capable of pouring in points, he’s willing to work on other areas of his game.
“We know that we’ll have more than enough scoring capabilities,” LaVine said. “You still have to be yourself when you’re out there. But I just want to bring energy. I can play multiple positions. I can guard multiple positions. I always feel when I get out there that I’m one of the more athletic guys, so bring energy, try to defend as many people as I can. I feel like that can be a niche I have on this team.”
That answer sounds as if it’s coming from a role player, not the seventh-leading scorer in the NBA last season. But it should reiterate just how willing LaVine is to find a role on this team and how eager he is to be a part of winning basketball.
“His physical skills are abundant and obvious,” Popovich said. “His length, his athleticism will translate very well. He wants to play defense to the nth degree. He knows that’s what we want from him. We also want energy.
“His scoring ability is always available, but I think through this camp what he’s going to do is become a little bit more solid playing with all these guys.”