NBA players apparently have a major affinity for international soccer, and given the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James’ obsession with the sport, perhaps there is an easy explanation for the explosion of support amongst other players.
Then again, we got a demonstration of another reason for the mutual love-affair on Thursday as members of German soccer club Bayern Munich and the Team USA basketball players got together. What resulted was an easy explanation of why the two sports seem to get along so well — individual expression within a team sport.
Watch as stars like Javi Martinez, Frank Ribery, and Xabi Alonso of Bayern Munich team up with Harrison Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins for a unique and incredible alley-oop into a trash can.
https://vine.co/v/5KTTQZFHKgb
⚽️ 🏀 @hbarnes & @boogiecousins meet @fcbayern stars @javi8martinez, Franck Ribery & @xabialonso! @FCBayernUS pic.twitter.com/dcJL6NZikZ
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 29, 2016
Those same players then went in on a pickup game of trash-can soccer to have even a bit more fun together before the meet and greet session was over.
It shouldn’t be surprising to see, as many international soccer clubs have come over to the United States in the past decade and took the time to incorporate American sports in the mix. There was Tottenham Hotspur having a competition for a first pitch taking place at Wrigley Field in Chicago:
Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea attempted the two American sports in 2012 as well.
This time around, the Americans showed off their skills at a second sport, and looked much better doing so.
