The Road to Rio has begun, and Raptors guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan look forward to success in the Olympics.
Tuning in on Team USA Basketball games in the Olympics is always an exciting sporting event to witness. Many would agree that there’s something entertaining in watching the NBA’s unrivaled athletes unite for one goal: winning a gold medal for their nation. USA Basketball has a rich history in the Olympic Games; the Dream Team and the Redeem Team have both created timeless memories for basketball’s history on a global level.
This August, the American men’s team will look significantly different than the one fans have grown accustomed to from the Summer Games in Beijing and London. With the exception of Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, the team harbours new faces who will be making their Olympic game debut. This includes Toronto Raptors all-star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. For the Raptors, the added experience their guards will gain from performing on an international stage will undoubtedly be a growing force upon their return from the off-season.
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Players returning from the Olympics often embrace a stronger leadership role in their respective NBA teams. Playing for Team USA allows players to develop a new insight into the game of basketball. A prime example of a player returning from the Olympics notably improved is Carmelo Anthony after the 2012 London Games. Anthony put on an incredible show versus Nigeria. Thanks to his stellar shooting, he added 37 points to the score sheet with the help of ten made three-pointers, the most ever in an Olympic game. In the 2012-2013 season, he came back from the Olympics to play an incredible season with the Knicks. With the help of his 28.2 points per game, which is 6.1 more than he averaged in his previous season, he rightfully earned the 2013 Scoring Title. It’s a long shot, but we can only hope that DeMar returns a more prolific and efficient scorer.
Basketball in the Olympic is fairly different than in the NBA; international teams often play with a higher level of chemistry and understanding of each other. This style of basketball can even beat a team with star power like the USA, as seen in the 2004 Athens Games. Giving that Lowry and DeRozan are teammates in Toronto, they could possibly learn to play together in ways that they have yet had the chance to explore. Sharing this experience together brings them the possibility of expanding their chemistry on the court, hopefully solidifying them in their role as an all-star backcourt. Playing for a different coach also plays a factor, as Coach Krzyzewski has been present in the USA Basketball scene for the past three decades and is qualified to teach both Raptors a trick or two.
The Olympics will be a one-of-a-kind experience for the two Raptors to better their game. The Toronto Raptors have always gone as far as Lowry and DeRozan could take them, and their improvement, year by year, is a testament to their growth as players and leaders of their team.
All stats provided by basketball-reference.com unless otherwise stated.