Brad Stevens On Team USA Staff 'Best Route' For Celtics Landing A Star Player
BOSTON (CBS) -- After his Spurs beat the Celtics on Sunday, San Antonio head coach Greg Popovich had some high praise for Boston head coach Brad Stevens.
"I respect the hell out of him. He's a fine young coach with a great demeanor. His team executes really well and they're just going to keep getting better," said Popovich, who added he still pops in some tape from Stevens' days at Butler to try to figure out what the C's coach may do.
Such adulation leads many to believe that Stevens could be on the short list for Pop's coaching staff for Team USA. Stevens is certainly a viable candidate, and being involved with the team will go a long way in helping the Celtics in the long-run.
Adam Jones discussed the possibility of Stevens joining Popovich's Team USA staff on Monday night's edition of Celtics @ 7 on 98.5 The Sports Hub, and thinks such a job would be Stevens' best way to lure that long-awaited superstar player to Boston.
"That's giving you access to the best players in the game. And it's not just every four years at the Olympics, it's all the developmental camps too. It's an opportunity for Stevens to create relationships with some of the biggest stars in the game and an opportunity for them to get to know him," said Jones. "If Stevens is involved in that level, long-term that is going to be the best way for the Celtics to bring in a free agent. Not stars in the league hearing about Stevens, but being involved in Team USA, cultivating those relationships and the players getting to know him -- that's the best route to getting a big-ticket free agent to Boston.
"It's not the quick fix, quick answer Celtics fans want," added Jones. "But it's a great sign if he gets involved at that level."