Drew Doughty is stoked to see the Great Wall, eat real Chinese food

ByXinyu Yang ESPN logo

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Tencent, ESPN's digital partner in China, spoke with Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings ahead of their preseason game against Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night in Shanghai. Doughty covered a variety of topics in his brief Q&A.

Tencent: Have you thought about trying something new here, such as food or tourist sites?

Doughty: Oh, yeah. I will be going to the Great Wall this Friday, and we've been trying different foods. We also plan on doing some shopping and check out the city. We saw some skyscrapers here in Shanghai. It's a great city, very beautiful.

Tencent: Let's talk about the game tomorrow. Have you set your strategy already?

Doughty: Yes. We have watched the tape together. The Canucks are very familiar to us. We play against each other every year, and we know everything about them. They are one of the greatest teams to play against in the league. This is going to be a great game. Both teams will do our best.

Tencent: I know you are a very good defenseman. Can you give some advice to Chinese players on how to become a great defenseman?

Doughty: As a defenseman, it's very important to know your position. You also need to be able to read the game. Many people focus too much on attacking and scoring, but I am the opposite. I am focusing on playing defense instead of just scoring. I think this is how I became a good defensive player.

Tencent: Kobe Bryant is very popular in China. I heard you are friends with him.

Doughty: Yes. I know him a little bit. We practice in the same facility. He is a very good person as well as my idol as a basketball player growing up. To know and meet him was a special moment for me.

Tencent: Do you expect to represent your country to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics?

Doughty: Of course. It's unfortunate that we are not able to participate this time [in South Korea in 2018]. In fact, I have played two Winter Olympics for Canada, and I very much want to represent my country again and try to win another gold medal.