The Boston Celtics have made Team USA history before even stepping foot on the court for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
According to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports, the Celtics are the first team ever to have four players playing for Team USA at the same time. The quartet of players making the mark are Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart.
Team USA has only seen two teams in history that had three players from the same team. In the 2012 Olympics, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden all played as members of the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2016, Durant played with his then-new Golden State Warriors teammates Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
But until this point, no team had ever had four on one squad.
This represents a great opportunity for the Celtics, as they are getting a chance to develop some chemistry ahead of the season. That was a major issue for them last year, so perhaps if these four players can at least learn to play together well, that could help them start a bit quicker moving forward.
And, of course, since Walker was signed this offseason, this is getting him on the court with his new team earlier than expected. That should afford him a chance to acclimate quicker with his new teammates after spending the entirety of his nine-year career with the Charlotte Hornets.
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