Warning the eyes. Thirty-two years after the original Dream Team gathered around Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the star-spangled banner will never live up to its name so well. Team USA, the American basketball team, will compete in the Olympic Games (July 26-August 11) with an Avengers team. The biggest US stars of the NBA will be present, at least that is what the first preselection of 41 players revealed on January 24, 6 months almost to the day before the start of the tournament at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve, suggests. -d’Ascq.
The final phase will take place at the Accor Arena in Paris. “To be honest, I didn’t think we would have 41 players all willing to give up their summer between two NBA seasons to play in the Games. I would have already been happy if we had had around thirty,” the general manager of Team USA and former glory, Grant Hill, told us this Wednesday in a video conference.
In this very expanded list which will have to be reduced to 12 units before crossing the Atlantic, they are all there: LeBron James already double gold medal in Beijing and London, Kevin Durant ready to conquer a fourth Olympic coronation after 2012, 2016 and 2021, James Harden also like Paul George and Donovan Mitchell. There is even Joel Embiid who could have played for the France team with his French passport.
“I heard that he will have American citizenship in the summer of 2022,” says Grant Hill. I met him at the start of the next season. He was very interested in Team USA but wanted to think about it. We stayed in touch and last October, during his training camp, he told me his decision on my birthday. It was the greatest gift of my life. To summarize, I didn’t need to convince him. He just wanted to be part of our adventure. It’s his only decision. »
The only notable absence is that of Draymond Green who must calm his demons before claiming to represent the United States. The San Francisco player has multiplied the scandals since the start of the season. He strangled Rudy Gobert and received several suspension matches. Team USA doesn’t want to take the risk of it screwing up again. “We are all with him and we are supporting him in his reconstruction,” explains the former Detroit Pistons player.
A first for Stephen Curry
There is even a new kid in there who is ready to play his first Games: Stephen Curry. World champion in 2014 with the American selection, the Golden State star has never participated in the Olympics. At 36 years old at the time of the tournament, this will be his last opportunity. We can almost commit to its presence. “Obviously, it is impossible for me to tell you today who will be the twelve selected in the end,” continues Grant Hill, himself a gold medalist in 1996 in Atlanta. All I know is that we didn’t force these 41 stars onto this list. »
Before the start of their preparation at the beginning of July in Las Vegas, NBA players still have between 40 and 60 games to play depending on their progress in the play-offs. The biggest risk of a star absence is injury. “When you see LeBron, Kevin, Steph and so many others have this desire, this desire to play in the Games, it’s just a phenomenal opportunity for Team USA,” says Grant Hill. Everyone said “Yes” with enthusiasm which even surprises me. Everyone is ready and wants to come to France and Paris, sacrificing their summer for one goal: to win the gold medal. This is our mission, our objective and we will work in the coming months to achieve it. »
Can this team be beaten?
This mission is to show the world that the country where this game was invented is still the strongest. To prove it, the United States needs to send its stars. A repeat selection is no longer enough: fourth place at the last World Cup reminded them. “I don’t know if we can compare our team to the 1992 Dream Team,” continues Grant Hill. At the time, the Dream Team came to win the Olympic title to also show what the NBA is to the whole world. Our mission will be “simply” to win the gold medal because everyone now knows the NBA. We no longer need to be its ambassadors. »
With such a team, obviously, beating the United States already seems impossible. “Impossible, no! Adam Silver, the boss of the NBA, replied to us two weeks ago. In sport, anything is possible and anyone can lose, even Team USA. I just have faith that Grant Hill will build the best team possible so that doesn’t happen. »
However, even with Nikola Jokic, Serbia will come from far away. Even with Wemby, France will come a long way. “Believe me,” insists Hill, “we will not come to France on conquered territory. We will be there next summer with a lot of humility without thinking that the gold medal is won in advance. We know how international basketball has become strong, competitive and that it is no longer afraid of an American selection. Everyone will want to beat us and this tournament will be open. » It will also probably be the most beautiful basketball tournament in all of Olympic history.
