Dirk Nowitzki can wait; Harrison Barnes goes for the gold in Rio

New Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes wasn’t shy talking about his enthusiasm for the upcoming Olympics.

In a 15-minute media scrum, Barnes used a form of the verb “excite” eight times in describing his experience through Team USA’s four exhibition games, in which the 24-year-old averaged 5.8 points on 45 percent shooting and 1.8 rebounds in nearly 15 minutes per game.

“This is a dream come true for me,” Barnes said at Team USA’s media day in Rio de Janeiro’s Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. “I always watched the Olympic team as a kid and now to represent my country is the greatest honor.”

Barnes, who signed with the Mavericks on July 6 after spending his first four NBA seasons with Golden State, said he’s looking forward to squaring off with his “new, old teammate” Andrew Bogut on the international stage. Bogut, who was traded to Dallas on July 7, also played with Barnes in Golden State. Bogut is playing in his third Olympics as a member of Team Australia.

“You have that shared experience of winning a championship, and it’s great also because we’re both going to Dallas together,” Barnes said. “We share a special bond.”

Barnes also praised Dirk Nowitzki, calling the longtime Mav one of the top five closers in NBA history. He lauded Nowitzki’s work ethic, saying the 19-year veteran’s continued efficiency was “no accident.”

“That’s eating right, taking care of your body, getting the right rest, putting in the work and doing the right work,” Barnes said.

The new Maverick said he was pleased with his playing time among a star-studded Team USA lineup. He started once in the exhibition rounds, in Team USA’s final showcase game against China on Aug. 1. In three other games, against Argentina, Venezuela and Nigeria, Barnes was the 12th, 11th, and 11th player off the bench.

“We’re such a talented team, and Coach (Mike Krzyzewski) has been pretty generous with the minutes up to this point,” he said. “Whatever you get, just don’t pace. Go out there and play as hard as you can.”

Barnes and Team USA open their Olympic quest for gold on Saturday against China.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Dirk Nowitzki can wait; Harrison Barnes goes for the gold in Rio."