Advice for overseas basketball tours: Be aware, respectful

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Washington coach Mike Hopkins has taken multiple teams overseas with USA Basketball, coaching in Olympics, world championships and various events.

Each time a team goes on an international trip, the message is the same: Enjoy yourselves, but realize you're in a foreign country. The laws and culture are not the same as those in the United States, so be aware and respectful.

"When you're in a foreign country, different rules," Hopkins said. "You have to know the lay of the land because every country has different rules, different regulations and treat each case a lot differently."

The arrest of three UCLA players on shoplifting charges in China exemplifies the need to take such precautions.