NBA

Team USA salutes, entertains at West Point

All 16 players vying to be chosen for the final 12 spots on Team USA’s roster for the upcoming FIBA World Cup know they have pretty fortunate lives.

But that point was hit home for them Monday morning when, soon after arriving at West Point to spend the day and hold a practice at the United States Military Academy, they spent time at the cemetery with the families of soldiers who have lost their lives in battle.

“We met one of the fathers of one of the soldiers that died overseas,” Nets big man Mason Plumlee said. “That’s a deep moment. He shared his story with us, and of his son going here. He’s about my age, and his birthday was actually a day before mine. … His father was obviously very proud of him, but you’re appreciative of the people that go and fight for us.”

“They actually told us two stories about people who actually served, and one of the girls that actually passed was 24 or 25,” said Bulls’ star Derrick Rose, “and just trying to think like, ‘Damn, that’s my age, and she’s already gone.’ So you just try to pay respects in the way you can, which is to come here and try to please these people.”

That’s what Team USA did Monday, spending the day touring the campus, located about 50 miles north of the city, before putting on a televised two-hour “practice” that turned into a series of shooting competitions involving the squad and members of Army’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

“It’s been great,” said Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, a 1969 Army graduate and a former Cadets coach. “It’s been terrific. We couldn’t have had a better day than today.”

After their time at the cemetery, the players watched some of the cadets perform the indoor obstacle course test — something Krzyzewski did as a cadet — as well as the Combat Water Survival Swim Lab.

The team was then led down a hallway to a shrine to Krzyzewski, including a plaque representing the award given in his name given annually by the academy’s physical education department — the Teaching Character Through Sport Award — as well as a picture of Krzyzewski while he was a cadet that the players enjoyed.

“I was laughing,” said Kyrie Irving, who played one season for Krzyzewski at Duke before being drafted first overall by the Cavaliers in 2011. “I was giving him a little bit of stuff just for his haircut back in the day.

“Obviously Coach is a tremendous leader, and obviously that’s what West Point is about.”

Krzyzewski admitted he enjoyed the players having some fun at his expense, and that it was a good chance for him and several of the Team USA newcomers to get to know one another.

“Today, I think they learned a little bit more about me, because I graduated from here and they were goofing around, and they were making fun of my younger pictures,” Krzyzewski said, before adding with a smile, “I told them, ‘Look. You’re young once. Things change.’

“But that’s good. There’s more of a comfort level, and we get to know one another.”

Finally, the team got a chance to get onto the court in front of several thousand fans and at least a couple hundred cadets inside Christl Arena, though Rose sat out as a precaution and DeMarcus Cousins, who injured his right knee last week, was a limited participant.

Afterward, a brief scrimmage evolved into a series of shooting drills. Two cadets — Kelsey Minato from the women’s team and Kyle Wilson from the men’s team — challenged Stephen Curry and Kyle Korver to 3-point shooting contests, respectively, before everyone engaged in a lengthy game of knockout won by Chandler Parsons.

The players seemed to genuinely enjoy the interactions with the cadets, and all were appreciative of the chance to give back to those who are volunteering to serve the country in a much more meaningful way.

“It’s about selfless service,” Irving said. “They give more than what we give, but this is our chance to represent our country and try to win gold for them.”