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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - ABU DHABI: Stephen Curry hesitates when asked to give a nickname for the USA Basketball squad headed to the Paris Olympics.
The Golden State Warriors point guard is part of a star-studded 12-man roster that includes the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards.
No US team has had that much talent and star power since the fabled 1992 dream team that featured Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and which demolished all opposition to bring home gold at the Barcelona Olympics.
Spearheaded by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Team USA are in Abu Dhabi this week as part of their preparations for the 2024 Olympics and will take on Australia on Monday and Serbia on Wednesday in exhibition games at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena.
With James and company warming up behind Curry ahead of a practice session at NYU Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the star stopped short of picking a label for the group that will be gunning for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Paris.
“I got to do my homework. I don’t know if Magic, Michael and Larry, if they coined that themselves and walked around calling themselves the ‘Dream Team,’ or if that was the nickname that fans and the media gave them,” Curry told reporters in the UAE capital.
“I feel like we’re going to have the same vibe. We just want to be called a gold medal-winning team and whatever the nickname is that comes with it, we’ll take it. But we’ve got a great group, obviously, so I’m excited about what we’re capable of doing and hopefully we can get it done.”
A first Olympics for Steph
Curry has suited up for USA at previous World Cups, but never at the Olympics, and the 36-year-old is excited for his maiden experience at the games.
“Everything around the Olympics for me, I’m just a kid in the candy store, because I’ve never been able to experience it before,” he said.
The USA’s win over Canada in an exhibition game in Las Vegas last week was Curry’s first appearance on the national team in 10 years. He played for 19 minutes and had 12 points and three assists.
Managing star power
Head coach Steve Kerr assured the press that managing such a loaded roster “isn’t difficult at all” and while the team is still figuring out the best combinations on the court, he is confident that his players will deliver when it matters most.
Curry described what it is like being part of such a strong collective, saying: “It’s been an amazing experience so far. Like, the energy with this group, a lot of guys that have accomplished a lot of things in basketball in their careers and it just seems like we’re just having fun playing the game. And that’s the cool part about what we have in front of us.
“Because you put agendas aside … you put egos — you bring the healthy egos of who you are, but you put aside everything other than just winning. We talk about it every day. And hopefully we can show it when we actually start.”
Tatum, who helped guide the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship title last month, spoke about the challenge of having just three weeks to get acquainted with new teammates ahead of the Olympics.
“You got to get used to playing with 11 new guys. You got to find the balance of being unselfish but still being yourself and being the guy, the reason why they wanted you on this team, you got to be yourself,” said the 26-year-old forward.
“So, figuring out that balance of, you never want to step on anyone’s toes, still got to play the right way and be aggressive in your own way.”
Celtics trio add championship DNA to the team
There are three Celtics players on Team USA — Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — and they are keen to add to what has already been a successful year for them.
Tatum and Holiday were part of the team that won gold in Tokyo 2020 but this time return to the squad as reigning NBA champions.
A star in his own right, Tatum is ready to take on whichever role he is assigned by Kerr, even if it means coming off the bench.
Kerr will be testing out different starting lineups during the warmup games in Abu Dhabi and London before the team fly to Lille for their Olympics opener against World Cup silver medalists Serbia on July 28.
“Honestly, every USA team I’ve played on, going back to junior basketball, I would always come off the bench. It’s not something to look down upon. There’s so many talented guys and you know I was the second lead scorer in Tokyo — the main objective is for us to win,” said Tatum.
“If I start, if I come off the bench, I know how to impact the game and how to win at the highest level.”
LeBron ‘excited’ to be back in the Middle East
After a brief visit to Dubai in 2022, and a stop in Riyadh last year where he held a clinic with young Saudi basketballers, James is back in the region, ready to play his first game in the Middle East against Australia on Monday.
“I’m excited to be here once again. I spent a little time in Saudi Arabia, I was in Dubai as well, and now being here in Abu Dhabi. I’m looking forward to playing in the game on Monday, playing the game on Wednesday, and seeing the reception that we get for Team USA. I’m super excited. It’s always a treat,” said James.
The 39-year-old Lakers forward is chasing a third Olympic gold medal this summer to go with the ones he won in 2008 and 2012.
As the oldest player on the roster, James believes it is important to take on a mentorship role in the team, together with his fellow veterans.
“Absolutely, it’s always a responsibility that you should hold with honor and being able to give back to the younger generation because they have to keep going when we’re done,” he said.
“So, it’s definitely a responsibility for myself, KD and Steph to be able to just show them the ropes.”
KD still sidelined
The player with the most Olympics experience on the squad is Durant, who helped lead USA to gold in the last three editions of the games.
The Phoenix Suns forward has yet to practice with Team USA, though, as he continues to nurse a calf strain. Kerr said that Durant will not be playing in Monday’s game against Australia but is not too concerned about the injury.
The coach said he has not lined up a possible replacement for Durant, and sounds confident that the 35-year-old will be good to go in France.
“(A back-up plan is) not something we’ve even discussed at this point. Because we feel good that he’s going to be okay, it’s just day to day,” said Kerr.
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