Photo: Getty Images

Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich opened up on the team’s steady improvement before making the cut for the 12-man roster for the 2019 World Cup tournament held in China:

“People were figuring out the terms, what things mean. It’s like a new language for some people. It is basketball, but often times you use different words for different actions on the court. As they get used to that, the defense gets better. … Now it’s just a matter of getting wiser, becoming more habitual, everybody reacting correctly more often. That’s what we’re looking for,” Popovich said, per AP News.