ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — If Arizona players dismissed Steve Kerr when he spoke to the Wildcats on Friday, he probably wouldn’t blame them.
“I remember my senior year (1987-88) when the 1953 Wildcats came on the floor. They all waved and we all said, `Man, those guys are old,’ “ Kerr said Friday after coaching Team USA to a 108-86 win over Greece at Etihad Arena. “Now this was the exact equivalent of that. I am the old guy. They got a chuckle out of that.”
Actually, Kerr may be as relevant as ever to today’s Wildcats. Even though he collected five NBA championship rings as a player before some of them were even born, through 2003, Kerr has since won four NBA titles as the Golden State Warriors coach and has taken over USA’s senior national team.
He knows what it takes to get to the highest levels in the game, so the Wildcats asked him about that.
“The guys asked about chemistry, they asked about what attributes they look for when selecting players,” UA trainer Justin Kokoskie said. “Steve was great.”
Arizona’s Oumar Ballo gives the newest UA basketball fan a hug Friday in the United Arab Emirates desert. Ballo and his teammates went on a players-only “dune bashing” excursion that included players (carefully) riding camels and in safe “dune cars.”
While the Wildcats were locked in to listen to him Friday, on Saturday, Kerr will be paying attention to them. As a former Wildcat guard who was born in Lebanon, Kerr has a lot on the line.
“I’m definitely going to that game,” Kerr said.
Peace be with them
The Wildcats made a final cultural stop Friday, receiving a guided tour through the new Abrahamic Family House, which uniquely hosts a mosque, synagogue and church all on the same site.
“They put a lot of thought into it,” UA guard Caleb Love said.
According to the Arab News, 75% of the UAE’s population is Muslim, while the Wildcats’ tour guide said there are 200 nationalities among all of its residents.
“And we all co-exist peacefully,” the guide said. “We want to be an example for the rest of the world.”
Shoehorned
Before entering the mosque portion of the Abrahamic Family House, the Wildcats took off their shoes as required and placed them in wooden cubby holes nearby. At least most of them did.
Arizona’s Keshad Johnson goes for the selfie angle with his new friend Friday as the Wildcat men’s basketball team went on a players-only “dune bashing” excursion in the United Arab Emirates.
Sophomore center Dylan Anderson tried repeatedly to stuff his size 17 shoes into one of the cubby holes and finally gave up. Instead, he put the shoes on the floor below.
According to UA equipment manager Brian Brigger, Anderson and walk-on center Will Menaugh are tied for the team in shoe size at 17. They also rank highly on the all-time list.
“In my 12 years, Deandre (Ayton) was the biggest at 18,” Brigger said.
Sigh of relief
When the Wildcats went off on what was called a “dune bashing” experience Friday, athletic trainer Justin Kokoskie had reason for alarm. He wasn’t invited on the players-only excursion, which may have sounded like the sort of thing that could put some players at risk of injury.
But as it turned out, the Wildcats rode in safe “dune cars” and carefully rode camels.
“They came out of it healthy,” Kokoskie said. “A couple guys got nauseous though.”
VIDEO (ARAB NEWS VIA YOUTUBE): The US national team, coached by Arizona Wildcats legend Steve Kerr, is on a mission in Abu Dhabi, where it is wrapping up preparations before flying to Manila for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Read more: https://arab.news/jfh4g
