Heading in to the second week of the 2016 Rio Olympics, I re-visit my 2012 Olympic posts. Among them, some that transcend a location, and remind us of the stories and moments encountered in the Olympic journey. Some of the players aren’t Olympians this go round. Some are. Either way, these are little nuggets of time and experiences from the archives. It was such a thrill to be there and sharing stories. I hope you enjoy these “Flashbacks” as well as the other two dozen posts surrounding my three weeks in London in 2012.
Flashback #1: Meeting the NBA/Olympic Dream Team 2012
If the Olympics are to be an opportunity for each country to present the best of their best, then Team USA Men’s Basketball is no exception. To see the Dream Team 2012 dominate in the competition — and then that nail biter game against Lithuania — are elements the excellent broadcasters can handle. But to talk with the players off the court? I’m game. My first time covering NBA players. Watch my adventure here, then in the next blog, the whole interviews with Coach K and five players: Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and James Harden.
With advance notice and approval, I was on the list for Sunday afternoon’s media opportunity to interview the players for about 25 minutes then watch practice for another 20. I managed to go One on One with LeBron James, and squeezed in the mix of media for the others. While I found the players I approached to be agreeable, I was especially impressed with Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony who were particularly engaged and engaging.
Go USA!