The Olympic Village Experience is something that many Olympic athletes look forward to. Every four years, some of the best athletes in the world get to live in close quarters as a community during the Olympics. However, USA Basketball has its own way of doing things. The star-studded Team USA squad is living outside of the Olympic Village in an undisclosed luxurious hotel in Paris.
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Although their lodgings are way more expensive than the others, the precedent for this was set in 1992 by the Dream Team.
When the NBA allowed their players to take part in the Olympics for Team USA in 1992, Michael Jordan and the best players in America took over Barcelona as the global tournament got its first experience of basketball of the highest quality.
At the time, USA Basketball made separate arrangements for the players to give them the utmost comfort possible. This was also done to ensure the safety of the players and provide them with the luxuries that they’re used to in their home. Since then, it has turned into a tradition.
The 24-member squad (men’s and women’s) isn’t living in the suburbs of Paris like the rest of the teams. USA Basketball players are accommodated in luxury hotels with their families, coaching and support staff. According to Forbes, the estimated expense for this special accommodation will be around $15 million.
In comparison, the lodging, transportation and security for other American squads cost around $400,000.
The cost of this luxury treatment isn’t exactly a problem. The safety of the superstar American athletes is the main reason for such celebrity treatment, because keeping Team USA players in the Olympic village might be chaotic.
A team that has players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, among other stars, warrants such treatment. Therefore, 700 luxurious rooms have been booked to accommodate the requirements of the superstar squad.
