The USA basketball team incurred significant expenses during the Paris Olympics, including renting an entire luxury hotel. Forbes reported that the team spent approximately $15 million on accommodations.
According to the report, Team USA rented an 800-room luxury hotel in Paris. This hotel is large enough to accommodate the players and coaching staff, their families, support staff, team officials, and NBA executives.
Since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the U.S. men’s basketball team has consistently stayed in luxury hotels outside the Olympic Village, a practice that began with including NBA players. The team even used luxury cruise ships for accommodation in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. These lodging choices ensure player security, maintain optimal conditioning and allow unrestricted family visits.
Forbes notes that Team USA opts for top-notch accommodations primarily for security and conditioning. Staying in external lodging provides several benefits, including access to the best possible diet, unrestricted family visits, and easy resolution of room assignment issues.
Security issues arose at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when a large crowd of fans gathered outside the USA basketball team’s hotel to catch a glimpse of Kobe Bryant. Since then, they have implemented even stricter security measures.
Team USA also helps other sports teams by offering any available extra rooms to athletes from different disciplines. For example, during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, U.S. golfers stayed at the same hotel.
Team USA features NBA stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant for the Paris Olympics. Their combined earnings in 2023 totaled $600 million.
The U.S. basketball team’s decision is considered a strategy to maintain optimal player conditioning and ensure safety. Interest in the team’s performance and lifestyle is expected to continue growing.
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