Due to the sponsorship, they have to stay on a ship.
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This time, the United States men’s and women’s teams are sharing a 158-metre, 196-cabin cruise ship called the Silver Cloud, which is docked at Pier Maua and rigorously protected by walls of bulletproof glass and tight security.
McCoughtry enjoyed some pool time with her girlfriend, actress Brande Elise on the ship – and the couple soaked up some sunshine.
“He’s going to be the leader of this team along with (Kevin Durant)”.
“You have to worry about everybody”, forward Draymond Green said. Given the margin of victory in those games, I expect a similar win as well. The gold medal-winning squad was a combination of six players from the 2010 title team, five players from the 2008 Olympics and a future superstar from the college ranks.
The men have won the last two Olympics tournaments in a row, while the women haven’t let up a championship since 1992. The big men, DeAndre Jordan and DeMarcus Cousins are athletic and talented in ways that can’t be matched by other countries.
There super soft specially extended beds and plush lounges are a far cry from the Olympic Village – some athletes have complained about exposed wiring and a awful smell coming from canals which have been contaminated with raw sewage nearby.
In exhibition action prior to the squad heading to Rio, the US defeated Australia, Canada and France by an average of 25.7 points during its East Coast tour. Anti-Zika sprays and lotions are also on hand and mosquito nets, should they be required.
Vince and Smitty look ahead to the expectations for the US Men’s Basketball team in Rio.
Normally, a cabin on the 514-foot-long ship costs around $13,000-a-week. “This is more than a win-win”, Colangelo said. USA Basketball and Coach K made a practice of rewarding the players who had made a commitment to the program and it clearly worked.
For example, Dallas Mavericks star Andrew Bogut is playing for Australia in the tournament.
Zhou Ki, a second-round draft pick of the Houston Rockets, is among China’s top players.
He posted a photo online earlier this week, showing him putting together shower curtain in his humble accommodations. The team would “represent our country and be united and show the rest of the world that we are united, regardless of what’s going on”, he added.
As some of the most recognizable faces in the Olympics however, securing a safe home base for the players may have been more of a necessity especially in street crime-heavy Rio.
The concern for the players is seen in the barriers surrounding the boat.
Extra security precautions have been implemented to protect the star-studded teams aboard the cruise liner, which is moored in Pier Maua in Rio de Janeiro.
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With around 250 police officers protecting the cruise ship as well as boats patrolling the area in the harbour, extensive measures have been taken to ensure the millionaire line-up remain safe throughout the Games. Everything is available on NBC’s Live Streams, but I’ll note if it’s also on TV somewhere within their family of networks.
