LA Clippers: Chemistry is already built prior to training camp
With training camp starting today for the LA Clippers, there will be a lot to work on. One thing they aren’t worried about? Chemistry.
Media Day was filled with all the familiar questions for the LA Clippers. “What did you improve this summer?” “How much weight did you lose/gain?” “Will you be playing in the Olympics?” “What do you think about the new LA-based rivalry?”
Players rattled off their responses with nothing really coming as a shock. Yes, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard want to play in the Olympics. Ivica Zubac lost weight. Landry Shamet gained muscle. The LA rivalry doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things.
There was one constant that we are glad to see though. The team isn’t concerned with chemistry. In fact, they think that they’re already ahead of the curve.
When asked how the team had already built up chemistry, Montrezl Harrell noted that the guys had already been around each other since Memorial Day (I think he meant Labor Day) playing ball and lifting weights at the Clippers’ facility. He also noted that the annual trip out to Hawaii is a big factor.
George adds that as soon as the team was formed this summer, there was a group chat that started up. The group chat was so successful in bringing the team together that once PG and Kawhi actually arrived, it felt like they were reconnecting with old friends.
Patrick Beverley also spoke on the team coming together during his presser. His best quote? “There’s no big I’s or little U’s.”
The team has made sure to do a bunch of activities together. We know that Kawhi hosted a player’s only mini-camp down in Miami. A group of players went and played paintball together – Bev, of course, played shirtless, because why not? – and went on the deep sea fishing trip.
Next. Five takeaways from the LA Clippers Media Day. dark
There are already a ton of little things that the group has done to build that bond necessary for winning a championship. With training camp in Hawaii starting, we can expect a lot more of these bonding trips. Will they result in a championship? We don’t know. It’s one heck of a way to start down the path though.