“(I) got a little bit of the jet lag out, and so we’re ready to go”. “Everything changed after that experience”.
Advertisement
Of the 10 Olympic rookies, eight previously played with USA Basketball in either worldwide tournaments or as part of the select team. “For us, as players representing the United States, this is the best way we can go out there and send a message by winning a gold medal and showing the world we are united with all the turmoil going on in our country”.
Sure, he’s still just 32 years old and playing at an All-Star level.
Sprinter Justin Gatlin, the silver medalist at the world championships, recorded the two fastest 100-meter times in the world this year at the US trials (9.8 seconds and 9.83).
Anthony already owns two of those, along with a bronze. If Coach K wants to give his team the best chance to run teams off the court, this is the squad that has to start. “I think for his legacy, I think it speaks volumes”.
Anthony needs 17 points to tie Jordan for third place on the US list in the Olympics and needs 35 to pass James as the career leader. Cruise ships are associated with extravagance and ultimate opulence, but it’s really no different than the experience of past US basketball teams. He is slated to step aside next year while making way for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. With so much verastility on the roster, the options are seemingly endless. “I didn’t see it, but I’m guessing they saw it and their goal was just to get me the ball”. But because this cast of characters is still around, with Anthony offering his perspective to teammates who were in middle school during those dark days of third-place finishes while Krzyzewski and Colangelo preach about a healthy and humble culture, this is merely the latest chapter in the same book.
This is the USA’s real dream team, the one that’s been a nightmare for all comers in the last five Summer Olympics and is a virtually guaranteed to be likewise this year in Rio.
Other than some possible gripes about where the ship is docked – it’s at Pier Maua in Guanabara Bay, one of the heavily polluted waterways in the Rio area – it’s unlikely the men’s or women’s teams will be echoing the sort of complaints the Chinese or Australian delegations (among others) have shared since arriving at the Games. It all sounds like a pretty terrific way for the team to focus on the matter at hand – winning gold.
“Where I think we are prepared is the mindset of having nine former Olympians, nine people who won that gold medal in London and six have done it a couple of times”. “We’re in a hotel on water”. He was in the losing team in 12 years ago against Argentina in the semifinal round. “Honestly, I’m just very proud of his career, for one”, Colangelo said.
“I know what it felt like to be at the bottom and what it feels like to be at the top of the game as well”, said Anthony, a nine-time NBA All-Star.
Advertisement
We know that he is probably going to be play some type of stretch four while Durant is probably going to play minutes at center.
