Kuumar Shyam (Aletihad)
The UAE has become a launchpad in recent times for the United States basketball team ahead of a major tournament, and their coach Steph Kerr said on Sunday that he was happy to be back in the Emirate for a second time in two years.
The American team, favourites as always to win the gold medal at the upcoming Olympics, are heading to France later this month but they will play two exhibition games each in Abu Dhabi and London before arriving in Paris. The Summer Games will be held from July 26 to August 11.
Last year, the USA team flew to the FIBA World Cup in August when it was jointly hosted by Indonesia, Japan and Philippines. Enroute, they played Greece and Germany at the Etihad Arena. Germany went on to win the title with Serbia as runners-up. Team USA had a setback, losing to Canada, to settle for fourth place.
This year’s preparations for the Olympics has the US team, led by Stephen Curry, play exhibition games with Canada in Las Vegas before flying to Abu Dhabi where they will take on World Cup finalists Serbia and Australia.
They will next play Germany and South Sudan in London to complete a top-level dress rehearsal with the finest quality of opposition possible. “We have had a good time here [in Abu Dhabi]. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people here. We are happy to be here,” Kerr said in a short interaction at the same Yas Island venue.
A few players from the current squad have also been to Abu Dhabi as part of their National Basketball Association (NBA) teams in past couple of years, where two teams play pre-season matches as part of the Showcase series.
While some players such as Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton are returning to the UAE capital, there are a lot of first-timers here, including Curry and NBA champion team member Jayson Tatum of Boston Celtics.
With the opposition similar to last year’s top-four at the World Cup, the Abu Dhabi games will be a tricky balancing act for Kerr as the Americans practice for the Olympics and would not like to reveal their strategy much to the opposition as well.
Making the most of his time on the court will be Derrick White, Tatum’s colleague at Boston, as he is the only late change to the US Olympic team roster.
White has barely had time to make his suitcase since being told by the USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill that he will be replacing Kawhi Leonard. The latter could not convince the management that he has recovered fully from a knee inflammation.
Talking about the upheaval of the past few days, White said in Abu Dhabi. “It has been a bit crazy, yes. But now that I am here, I will do what I need to do for the team; see if there any holes to be plugged,” he said.
White added that the team “has got better and better after the World Cup” and ready to make amends for the disappointment last year.
Calling the Abu Dhabi games “extremely important” in the build-up to the Olympics, Curry was asked to reflect on the previous team which was hyped up as the “Dream Team” at the World Cup. “It is a nickname that the fans and the media gave us [Even USA Basketball promos said it]. As long as it is a gold medal-winning team, we are happy with whatever nicknames we are known by,” said the Golden State Warriors guard.
Meanwhile, it was not all work for the team and the heat failed to be a deterrent for Curry, Tatum and Devin Booker who decided to go playing golf at the Yas Links Golf Course nearby on Saturday.