Steve Kerr, the head coach of the United States national basketball team, mentioned that he is a big tennis fan.
However, due to the time difference, he is unable to follow the tournament back in his home country.
Kerr spoke to the media a day after the team secured a spot in the FIBA World Cup semifinals, and Serbian media asked him at the end of the conversation if he’s been following the US Open, given his avid interest.
“I love the US Open. It’s one of my favorite sporting events. Usually, I go and watch, but this year is a different situation. It’s hard to follow sports in Manila because we’re on the completely opposite side of the world. These events typically happen in the middle of the night. That’s why I couldn’t watch anything, but I’m keeping up with the developments,” Kerr said, as reported by B92.
Kerr has often expressed his admiration for Novak Djokovic. For instance, in 2018, he stated that the Serbian tennis player would be the best basketball player among tennis players, highlighting Djokovic’s exceptional agility and skills.
“Djokovic. I think he can guard anyone. He moves extremely well. Aside from that, I think he could stay ahead of anyone. I believe he would be good in transition, on the fast break. I would love to see him on a basketball court,” Kerr said.
The head coach of the US team compared Djokovic to Manu Ginobili eleven years ago, writing, “Djokovic is to tennis what Ginobili is to basketball. Incredible speed, flexibility, skill, and a competitive spirit.”
The United States faces Germany in the semifinals.
“Yes, our guys are ready. I mean, they’re playing at a high level. We played strong and aggressive against Italy, and that’s what we’ll need to beat Germany. They are really good,” Kerr said, adding:
“They are probably the best team in the tournament. I don’t think they’ve lost a game so far. The players are very well connected, well-coached, and there’s a lot of continuity, and the team is physically very strong. So, we’ll have to play great. As for us in the coaching staff, we’ve emphasized the importance of ball movement, playmaking, as we have many players with speed, agility, and ball-handling skills.”
Reporters asked Kerr about Anthony Edwards’ performance in the tournament.
“As for Edwards, I think he’s one of the most talented players on the planet, still very young. So, it’s a challenge for him, which we discussed, to understand when to attack and when to make the pass,” he said.