U.S. Basketball Teams will Stay On A Cruise Ship In Rio

In a move that could be interpreted as indulgent or prescient — or both — the U.S. men’s basketball team at the Rio Olympics will stay aboard a luxury cruise ship rather than the spartan facilities at the Athletes’ Village.

It appears the U.S. women will also be living aboard the Silver Cloud, according to media reports.

The men’s basketball team, made up of 12 highly compensated NBA stars, has a tradition of opting for upscale digs ever since professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics in 1992. And the men’s team even stayed on a cruise liner once before, at the 2004 Games in Athens.

Meanwhile, Olympic organizers have been dealing with complaints of incomplete or malfunctioning facilities in the dormitory-style apartments that will house the more than 10,000 athletes at the Games. As Merrit Kennedy reported for The Torch, the Australian team has dealt with several problems, from plumbing and lighting issues to a fire and theft.

NBA player Andrew Bogut, who’s in Rio to play for his native Australia, tweeted a photo of himself “putting together a shower curtain so we can shower and not flood the place.”

U.S. players are not anticipating any such problems.

“USA Basketball teams haven’t stayed in the Olympic Village since the 1988 teams did,” says the federation’s chief media officer, Craig Miller. He adds, “Our teams are extremely active in supporting their U.S. teammates.”

Many players, including LeBron James, a veteran of the past three Olympic teams, but not this one, took part in off-the-court events, attended other competitions and hung out with athletes at the Olympic Village.