LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) — For the third season in a row, the Denver Nuggets elected to open their preseason by heading to UC San Diego.
“Well, it worked well last year," said head coach Mike Malone, referencing his team's status as defending NBA champions. "So we’re hoping the air, the water, the beach, whatever it might be, continues to be real positive for our group.”
The Nuggets, led by stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, spent four days practicing at LionTree Arena. Malone says the gym sets up perfectly for them, giving them more space than their practice facility back in Denver.
“It doesn’t hurt that we’re staying at a beautiful hotel in a beautiful area of the country," Malone said. "It just breeds a lot of positivity and allows our guys to come together.”
Those around UCSD's basketball programs said the Nuggets have been generous with their time, allowing players and coaches to watch practices and "pick their brains."
“Yeah, it’s really inspiring," said UCSD junior forward Francis Nwaokorie. "Obviously, we’re college athletes. We’re trying to play at the highest level possible. Just seeing how they do it gives us faith in what we can do.”
“Just the way that they go about their practice, the amount of focus and the details of the game that sometimes the everyday-watcher doesn’t see," added Camden McCormick, a sophomore guard.
Tritons Head Coach Eric Olen said he's had the opportunity to chat with Malone and General Manager Calvin Booth, which he tries to take full advantage of. But he suggests the biggest benefit for his team is getting a chance to watch how the Nuggets approach practice.
“That experience of getting to see what NBA players do in a training camp and how they prepare themselves, I just think there’s so much value in that and we’re really fortunate to have the facility and environment that they want to be in," Olen says.
