Men’s basketball at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics got started in early hours on Sunday for fans in the United States. Before Keldon Johnson and Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich took the court, two others with Spurs ties hit the hardwood – Patty Mills and Matt Nielsen. Mills, of course, is a veteran leader with the Spurs; the head assistant coach for Australia, Nielsen, is maybe less known to most fans.
Promoted last November to be the new head coach of the Austin Spurs, Nielsen has roots with the organization going back to the 2014-15 season.