Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Paul George is keeping a close eye on what his team is doing during the NBA free agency period from thousands of miles away.
George has been in China since last Thursday as part of the NBA's Nation Tour. He has visited the cities of Shanghai and Wuhan, conducting clinics and signing autographs with other NBA players. George said it is the second time he has visited China, also taking a trip there as part of a Nike contingent last summer.
News travels fast in 2013, even to the other side of the globe. USA TODAY Sports checked in with George on Wednesday morning (Wednesday night in China) via phone to talk about the trip, his take on the recent happenings with the Pacers and if the sting of losing to the eventual champion Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals remains.
Q. So what are you doing in China?
A. The purpose is to go out and help grow the game of basketball and continue to build our brand. Basketball is so huge here. People love it and are big fans. It's nice to give back.
Q. The NBA has had a big presence in China since Yao Ming came into the league; describe how you're being treated over there?
A. With Yao being sort of the face of our league here, there's a lot of appreciation for us. The people over here just really appreciate what we do. In a way, it's kind of surreal.
Q. What do you mean by that?
A. The treatment we get over here is amazing. We kind of get that respect in the U.S, but here, it is just so genuine. The people are so happy we're here. It's a different feeling.
Q. What was your reaction when you heard David West was planning to re-sign with the team?
A. I love that we were able to get David back. David's been the reason why we've been successful. He's our leader. He's our backbone. He's our tough man. It definitely would have been a step back if David had not come back. He's kind of created an identity for us in the NBA. I know George (Hill) is happy he's back and Roy (Hibbert) is happy he's back.
Q. Did you find out about Larry Bird's return as team president before you left or were you already over there?
A. I heard about it when I checked my phone, right after I got off the plane.
Q. What was your reaction to that?
A. Very happy. Larry is someone I look up to a lot. I have so much respect for him. He's been like a father to me. He made me the player I am today.
Q. He caught some heat when the Pacers drafted you back in 2010. A lot of draft analysts ripped the pick, yet he never seemed to doubt you. How much did that mean to your development?
A. It meant a lot. There was some pressure with it because I knew I was going to a team that could not afford to waste a pick. But Larry has been great.
Q. Basketball-wise, it looks like your next big experience will be when you attend the U.S. national team's minicamp in Las Vegas this month. What do you think that is going to be like?
A. It will be a fun experience. Playing with some of the league's top young stars, it will be neat to be part of that. But the big thing is that it feels great to play for your country. Obviously, it's a cool thing to play in the NBA and be an all-star, but to play for your country is a whole different deal.
Q. What were your emotions as you watched that great finals series between the Heat and San Antonio Spurs? Was it a sense of "We're right there" or was it more, "Darn, we nearly beat these guys ourselves"?
A. It was a really frustrating thing because we knew how close we were to possibly beating (the Heat). There were a lot of times in that series, even before the seventh game, where we had a chance to take control of it. To not be able to do that, for whatever reason, that's disappointing. I think the Spurs kind of learned how we felt.
PHOTOS: Heat vs. Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals
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