Team USA

Simone Biles Leads Team USA To Seventh Consecutive World Gymnastics Title

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Team USA has secured its seventh consecutive World Gymnastics title behind the efforts of Simone Biles and her teammates. Despite a dominant performance in qualifying, the medal event was closer than expected, with the US beating Brazil by 2.199 points in Antwerp. The team gold broke the tie that Team USA had held with the Chinese men’s team for consecutive World golds. Meanwhile, that same Chinese men’s team had to settle for silver behind Japan.

However, the championships are far from done for Biles and company. Biles is favored to win four individual golds – all-around, vault, beam, and floor. Meanwhile, Shilese Jones has her eyes firmly set on the bars gold. However, beyond medaling and everything else, there is also the motivation of putting in strong performances as selection for Paris 2024 approaches.

Read More: Simone Biles Breaks New Record After Her Latest Championship Win

Biles Eyeing History At Homecoming Worlds

“Back to where it all started, see you soon Belgium,” Biles told her Instagram followers via a story post after qualifying for Worlds. As alluded to by Biles, Antwerp will be something of a homecoming. A decade ago, she made her Worlds debut in the city. She cleaned up in her first-ever event, grabbing gold in the all-around and floor, silver in the vault, and bronze in the beam. Furthermore, qualification meant Biles became the first woman to be selected to represent the US at six World Championships.

Worlds also represents a chance for Biles to secure her place in Paris next year. Olympic places are available on all apparatus, as well as for the all-around champion. Furthermore, Biles is a firm favorite to qualify somewhere as she has shown that her time away has not left any rust on her performance. However, the world of gymnastics has only gotten better in recent years. This means that Biles will likely face some tough competition if she wants to take home the gold in Belgium. After an off day tomorrow, Biles will be in action on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Read More: Simone Biles & Jonathan Owens Married In Texas: Photos

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Dwight Howard Makes Bizzare Threat If He Doesn’t Make The US Olympic Team

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Dwight Howard has become the latest player to express interest in representing the United States at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Team USA has won the last four Olympic gold medals but has elsewhere struggled on the international stage. In particular, the national team has come under fire after failing to medal at the recent FIBA World Cup. This has led a bevy of stars such as LeBron, AD, and Steph Curry to express their interest in competing in Paris.

In the late 2000s, Howard was a go-to pick for the national team. He won a gold medal at the Beijing Games in 2008 as well as a World Cup bronze in 2006. However, he is likely on the outside looking in when it comes to 2024. Despite this, Howard is adamant that he be selected. Furthermore, he has gone as far as to say that if he isn’t selected, he will play for Taiwan and “drop 85”. There’s just one problem with this – Taiwan (or Chinese Taipei as it is referred to by the IOC) can’t qualify for the Olympics. Taiwan is not one of the 24 remaining teams that will compete for one of the four remaining Olympic spots next July.

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Howard Aside, Who Is Still Competing For An Olympic Spot?

As mentioned, there are 24 nations still eligible for an Olympic berth. They will be drawn into four tournaments of six teams and compete at the start of July 2024. The winner of each mini-tournament will get an Olympic berth. Most of the teams still competing come from the FIBA World Cup and include everyone from Puerto Rico and Lebanon to European powerhouses like Spain and Greece.

Beyond these 24 contenders, eight teams have already punched their ticket to the Paris Games. Aside from hosts France, the other seven teams earned their berth in the FIBA World Cup. Aside from the US, Canada, South Sudan, Japan, Germany, Serbia, and Australia have all qualified. That already adds a wealth of NBA and NBA-adjacent talent to the World Cup. Even if the US sends a superteam, this might be their toughest road to the gold medal in some time.

Read More: LeBron and other stars eye 2024 Olympics

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SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron, Steph, KD Reportedly Plotting Return to Team USA

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Olympics: Basketball Men's Gold Medal Game USA vs ESP

Team USA didn’t medal during the World Cup, and now a pack of Hall of Fame legends are planning to make their return to the Men’s national team.

According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Joe Vardon, LeBron James is planning to make one last run in the Olympics, planning to join the team for the Paris 2024 games. In addition, he has called on a superstar roster of players to join him.

League sources state James has been in contact with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, and Draymond Green, who are all ready to join James in committing to the team. Additional names also interested are Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, and Kyrie Irving.

The top names were planning their return before the loss this week in the World Cup.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron, Steph, KD Reportedly Plotting Return to Team USA first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron, Steph, KD Reportedly Plotting Return to Team USA appeared first on The Source.

Gilbert Arenas Slams USA’s FIBA World Cup Team: “A Sorry-Ass Group”

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Gilbert Arenas says that the current roster for the United States national team for the 2023 FIBA World Cup is a “sorry-ass group.” He discussed his disappointment in the roster while speaking with Trae Young during a recent episode of Gil’s Arenas.

“You see that list he [Steve Kerr] got? A sorry-ass group,” Arenas remarked. The 12-man team boasts Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers).

Read More: Team USA Men’s Basketball Wins Fourth Gold Medal In A Row; Beats France

Cam Johnson & Mikal Bridges Practice For Team USA

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 06: Cam Johnson (L) #6 and Mikal Bridges #5 of the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team are interviewed at a practice session during the team’s training camp at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV as the team gets ready for the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup on August 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Arenas continued: “I’m happy for the people who make it. It’s cool, it’s cool for some of the guys who got there that I don’t know, some of them probably don’t even start on their team. I don’t know, I don’t wanna look at it, cause it’s embarrassing sometimes where you have star players who’s really stars that do wanna participate, and you just automatically just say, yeah, he’s not gonna fit our style.” Arenas also theorized that Nike plays a role in keeping players affiliated with other brands off the roster.

Gilbert Arenas On Team USA

The conversation arose while discussing Trae Young not making the team. “I definitely want to… It’s up to them if they want me to,” the Atlanta Hawks star said on the show. Despite not making the cut, Young is arguably one of the top players in the NBA. At just 24 years old, he’s a two-time NBA All-Star, while averaging over 25 points and nine assists for his career.

Read More: Luka Doncic & Giannis Antetokounmpo To Face Off In International Game For First Time

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