By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Boston Celtics were represented by Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart in USA’s squad for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. However, the NBA team had players in other sides as well including newcomer Vincent Poirier, member of France that defeated Team USA in the quarterfinals of the global tournament. The 25-year-old center talked to the Boston Globe about his first meeting at China with four of his new teammates.
“After the game I think they were a little bit mad, so I don’t come to them and say, ‘Hey, I’m Vincent,” he remembered a few days after arriving to Boston ahead of the training camp before the upcoming NBA regular season, “But they knew who I was, so that was good.” Poirier averaged 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game in the World Cup en route for the bronze medal.
He joined the Celtics this summer prior to the China trip following a couple of EuroLeague campaigns with KIROLBET Baskonia. The World Cup also presented him the opportunity to discuss moving to the NBA with his French teammates already in the league. “I asked them all I can, because I don’t want to be surprised when I get there” he confessed.
“The way they play basketball, they’re one of the teams that plays like European teams,” pointed out Poirier referring to the Celtics’ style of play, “They play a lot of pick-and-roll. Their coach is really smart. So it’s kind of like playing overseas. And they play to win. That’s what I want. I want to win. So it makes a good, good fit.”