Team USA’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will hold their training camps in Las Vegas in July before heading to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, the program announced on Thursday. There, the teams will play seven combined games including double-header events twice.
The men’s team will report to camp on July 6 and play exhibition games against Nigeria on July 10, Australia on July 12, Argentina on July 13, Australia a second time on July 16 and Spain on July 18. The women’s team will arrive after the July 11 WNBA Olympic break to play Australia on July 16 and Nigeria on July 18.
“Comprehensive health and safety protocols will be in place, including mandatory and regular COVID-19 PCR testing, administered to athletes, coaches, officials and staff in accordance with FIBA and USA Basketball recommendations and CDC guidelines,” per the release. Fans will be able to attend the games at MGM’s Michelob Ultra Arena, though it’s unclear how many.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will lead the men’s team along with assistant coaches Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce, and Jay Wright. South Carolina women’s head coach Dawn Staley will lead the women’s team along with assistant coaches Dan Hughes, Cheryl Reeve, and Jennifer Rizzotti. The men’s team is playing for a fourth consecutive gold medal while the women compete for a seventh straight gold.
According to The Associated Press, final rosters could be set by the end of June. Players will be selected from the men’s pool here, and women’s pool here. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are not planning to join the team, according to the AP, while Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and Damian Lillard have expressed interest.
The competition to make the women’s team roster should be as tough as ever, though injuries could play a factor. Elena Delle Donne has not played a game in the WNBA yet this season due to offseason back surgery, Nneka Ogwumike is sidelined for the next 3-to-5 weeks with a left knee sprain, and Diana Taurasi hasn’t played a game since May 21 with a fracture in her sternum.
