Sports
Basketball’s World Cup Is Set To Begin, And The U.S. Isn’t Worrying About Pressure
MANILA, Philippines – The Naismith Trophy is part of the prize package for the Basketball World Cup champion. It has been on a whirlwind tour recently, including a trip to Las Vegas, where US guard Tyrese Haliburton spent some time in its company.
He recognized the mission right away.
“It’s nice to see it,” Haliburton commented. “It’ll be nicer if we can bring it home.”
The opportunity for 32 teams to do so finally begins on Friday, when the World Cup kicks off in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. Consider this a chance for the United States to redeem itself after finishing eighth — its worst-ever finish — at the previous global Cup in 2019 and having its 12-year reign atop the men’s national-team global rankings expire last November.
However, the only team with 12 NBA players on its roster finds itself back in the role of favorite, knowing that only gold will suffice and anything less will be labeled as a failure.
“We intend to compete.” We’ll play as hard as we possibly can. “We’re going to try to win a gold medal,” stated United States coach Steve Kerr. “If we don’t, we understand there will be a lot of criticism, and that’s fine with us.” But our mindset is that this is a lot of fun, and we’re extremely lucky to compete and know that we did everything we could. We’re making an effort. We intend to win. Whatever happens, happens — and we’ll deal with it.”
The Naismith Trophy is part of the prize package for the Basketball World Cup champion.
There are numerous challenges. After winning bronze at the most recent World Cup in China in 2019, silver behind the United States at the Tokyo Olympics two summers ago, and silver behind Spain at last year’s EuroBasket, France is finally in a position to win gold. Slovenia possesses Luka Doncic, the tournament’s finest one-on-one player and an All-NBA star for Dallas. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads a wave of NBA talents from Canada. Patty Mills and Joe Ingles are two experienced Australians. Then there’s Spain, the current World Cup champion.
Just don’t mention Spain around coach Sergio Scariolo.
“Honestly, I hate the definition of defending anything,” Scariolo stated. “There is nothing to defend. Every team is beginning a new round of competition. Every team begins at a 0-0 tie. We are happy to have exceeded all expectations in recent events, earning championships that no one predicted. We may win, but we are once again trailing numerous clubs in terms of ultimate result expectations.”
The competition begins on Friday with eight games, followed by eight more on Saturday, including the United States’ opener against New Zealand, and will likely see history on Day 1. Local officials anticipate that more than 40,000 people will attend the meeting between the Philippines Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic in Manila. That total would break the previous World Cup attendance record of 32,616 in 1994 when the United States defeated Russia in Toronto.
It will be a proud time for Filipinos.
The Naismith Trophy is part of the prize package for the Basketball World Cup champion.
“For me, it’s just relishing the opportunity,” said Philippines coach Chot Reyes. “I mean, who gets this opportunity, right? To coach your country’s national team in a major event in your hometown? I’m aware that there are many critics, but I always remind myself that what we’re doing here is unique. That’s all I need. That is sufficient for us.”
Qualifying for this event began more than two years ago, with 80 aspirants being narrowed down to the 32 countries in Asia for the next few weeks. Teams were divided into four-team groups, with the top two teams from each of the eight groups advancing to the second round. Some countries fully know that they will need to pull off the upset of all upsets to proceed World Cup.
When asked how to guard Doncic, who awaits them in their tournament opener on Saturday, Venezuela’s David Cubillan replied, “You need to pray.”
The inaugural games feature some intriguing matches, including Serbia versus China. Sasha Djordjevic stepped down as Serbia’s coach following the World Cup in China last year, then was hired by China — and, sure enough, Serbia awaits him on Saturday.
“For me, that’s very, very special,” Djordjevic said. “Extremely emotional. It will undoubtedly be an emotionally charged contest. But we are professionals, and we must give our all to the teams for whom we work. It’s a detail that you people in the media will undoubtedly appreciate, but for me, it’ll be a game full of pride.”
The Naismith Trophy is part of the prize package for the Basketball World Cup champion.
Kerr is attempting a one-of-a-kind double: as a collegiate player, he won the Global Cup, then known as FIBA’s global championship, when the United States defeated the Soviet Union 87-85 in Madrid behind 23 points from Kenny Smith. After damaging a knee ligament in the semifinals, Kerr was forced to miss the championship game.
“This experience,” Kerr says, “is something our team will never forget.”
That was one of the selling points Kerr, Grant Hill, and Sean Ford — the men’s basketball braintrust at the moment — used to entice this squad of athletes who had never played on this stage. There is no shortage of skill, nor is there a lack of expectation.
“There is no such thing as pressure for me,” US point guard Jalen Brunson stated. “I’ve realized that as long as I keep working hard on my game and putting everything I have into what I do, there is no such thing as pressure.” There are times and situations when the stakes are higher than others, but as long as I work hard, there is no pressure. And I believe this team will rely on one another.”
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
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