Coach K: Paul George 'playing the best basketball in his life'
Nearly two years after suffering a horrific leg injury that threatened to derail his All-Star career, Paul George was back in Las Vegas with USA Basketball on Friday, only with a much happier ending this time around.
George scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with two rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 16 minutes of action, as the star-studded American team throttled Argentina in their first pre-Rio tuneup, 111-74.
"It was a lot of emotions. I'm not gonna lie," George said in a postgame interview on NBA TV. "The guys in the locker room did a great job of making sure I was good before we came out and ran on this floor."
USA coach Mike Krzyzewski was one of the unfortunate witnesses to George's sobering injury on Aug. 1, 2014, but the Duke legend doesn't believe the injury slowed PG-13 in any way. Quite the contrary, in fact.
"I think he's playing the best basketball in his life right now," Krzyzewski said following Friday's win.
Krzyzewski has a valid argument, as the 2015-16 season saw George earn his third All-Star nod and third All-NBA selection while averaging a career-high 23.1 points per game.
Coach K, along with USA Basketball director Jerry Colangelo, said all along that George would have a spot on the 2016 Olympic team after he suffered the injury during preparations for the 2014 World Championships.
George said he was grateful to be back. "They stuck to their word. They're just as committed to me as I'm committed to playing for my country."
George and his American teammates will be back in action Sunday when they take on China in Los Angeles.