Why the Abu Dhabi trip will be the best thing that happens to the Denver Nuggets

Believe it or not, we’re now just one day away from the Nuggets’ preseason opener against the Boston Celtics way over in the United Arab Emirates. The teams will kick off the NBA season in this year’s annual installment of the Abu Dhabi Games which is part of the NBA’s Global Games.

While it’s obviously a great marketing opportunity for the league and a way to grow the sport in another part of the world. However, on the surface, the trip and games may seem like an unnecessary burden for the teams that are participating. 

The flight itself takes almost 18 hours, then the team must acclimate to an entirely different culture and part of the world for almost a week. It could easily be seen as an unwelcome distraction and an inconvenient obligation while the team is trying to prepare for a championship run.

Amazing opportunity for the Nuggets to build chemistry

But I’m actually going to view this with a completely different perspective; this trip is the best thing that could have happened to the Nuggets. It’s an incredible opportunity for these players to come together for a once in a lifetime journey.

The shared experience will bring this team together quickly and create a bond that could otherwise take years. Normally, the team will be together at practice and around the facilities, but then they go home and go about their separate lives.

In Abu Dhabi, that’s clearly not an option. The team will be together just about 24/7 and they’ll be bonding and spending time together doing things that go far beyond the scope of basketball. The team has already been seen going on excursions in the desert, riding camels, getting temporary tattoos, and dancing and vibing at parties.

They genuinely seem to be having a great time, bonding, and vibing together. Growing this kind of chemistry before the season even starts can do wonders for the team as a whole. Especially considering some of the roster turnover and all of the young players and new free agents, this is a rare opportunity.

Some teams could go years without ever bonding on this level, so for it to all be happening this quickly is amazing. I believe that this will bring everyone together and make the team closer than ever. They are going to return to Denver feeling more like a family than a team.

It’s going to allow them to hit the ground running and enter the season like a cohesive unit, ready to make a push for another title.