The Olympic Village at Paris 2024 has received plenty of criticism from athletes. None of those complaints have come from members of Team USA's basketball teams, though, as they don't stay there. A decision was made to ditch the village in 1992 for a number of understandable reasons.
The Olympic Village in Paris has caused plenty of controversy during the 2024 Games. Complaints about the accommodation have been plentiful, with food, air conditioning and the quality of the beds all coming under fire . However, those issues aren't the reason that you won't find the Team USA Basketball squad sleeping in the village.
They haven't stayed in one for more than 30 years. Dating back to 1992, when a men's side that included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson decided to ditch the Olympic Village in Barcelona, members of Team USA have always slept in luxury hotels while at the Games. Granted, in the case of the men's team, most of its multi-millionaire NBA stars probably don't want to give up the luxurious lifestyles they have become accustomed to for dorm-style living in the village.
As Team USA spokesperson, Craig Miller, told the Associated Press back in 2016, there is another major reason why stars such as LeBron James have routinely chosen to swerve the Olympic Village. It's one you can't really be too mad at them for, either. Beds in the Olympic Village 'Just Aren't Made' for Seven-Foot NBA Players "You face the issue in a hotel, or you would face it in a village; the beds aren't made for 7-foot players.
These guys live on the road, and they figure out ways to sleep. Sometimes, I've seen them put their luggage at the end of the bed so their feet can rest there." In order to find the sort of comfort their huge frames require, the 2024 team are staying at the four-star Paris Marriott Opera Hotel in the French capital.
Per the Daily Mail, the art deco venue has particularly tight security in place to protect the players. Police have traffic blockades in place - and a cycle lane outside the hotel has even been closed to the public. Despite this, Team USA member Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns recently insisted that he and his colleagues do all they can to mix with their peers who are staying inside the Olympic Village.
As the three-time Olympic gold medallist recently explained to Yahoo Sports: "We stay outside of it, but we get our time right before the opening ceremony. As we go to other sports as well, we get to walk through the village. So, I think we get enough time there.
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The Paris Marriott has been fully booked since the 25th of July and will remain so until the Games conclude next weekend as the hotel plays host to a huge entourage of family members and staff linked to Team USA. Those staying at the hotel have the option to enjoy classic French cuisine and suites that come equipped with views of the Eiffel Tower. Rooms at the hotels typically run from $250 to $500 per night, but it's safe to assume that the Americans have splashed out far more than that to secure the hotel for the duration of the Olympics.
It's all a far cry from the Olympic Village, where athletes have been forced to sleep on cardboard beds and deal with the rationing of protein-rich foods due to supply issues. The Luxurious Venues That Have Hosted Team USA at Previous Olympics During the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the USA basketball teams opted to base themselves in the luxurious QM2 ship in the Mediterranean, while the 2008 Beijing Olympics saw stars such as Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant stayed in a posh Beijing hotel , as per The Washington Post. For the 2012 Games, the American team likewise skipped the Olympic Village in favor of a different upscale hotel in the heart of London.
The teams again took to the sea in 2016, sharing The Silver Cloud, an opulent 200-room cruise ship resembling a yacht. The strategy of basing themselves away from the Olympic Village has paid dividends when it comes to medals. The men's 'Dream Team' have won gold at the last four Olympic Games straight.
The women's team has fared even better, winning the top prize at the last seven Olympics. The popular rapper has been one of the highlights of this summer's Games and is being paid a fortune for his services..
