If you want to support the two Detroit Pistons and a couple of Michigan natives playing in the Olympics, either you will have to get up early on Sunday, or pull an all-nighter. Due to the time difference from Tokyo, they will be played in the morning Eastern Time.
All the drama, the additions, subtractions, the losses (and some wins later on) during its training camp in Las Vegas, are all over with. It is time for Team USA to play the games that count: at the Summer Olympics. The United States has won the last three gold medals, but this year’s squad has a much different makeup and a different coach (Gregg Popovich in, Mike Krzyzewskii retired).
Team USA’s roster includes the Detroit Pistons’ Jerami Grant and two players who grew up in the state of Michigan: Sagninaw native and former Michigan State player Draymond Green and JaVale McGee, who was born in Flint and in high school attended Detroit Country Day School and Providence Christian (which is in Fremont).
Note: If you watch the games on TV, you will undoubtedly hear about how JaVale’s mother, Pam McGee (who played with sister Paula at Northern Flint), won a gold medal as a player in 1984. Announcers love that kind of stuff.
The United State opens with a toughie in France. here are the details:
Who: USA vs. France
What: Pool game in Olympic men’s basketball tournament (top two advance)
When: Sunday, July 24, 8 a.m. (ET)
TV: (Live) Peacock and NBCOlympics.com
Where: Japan’s Saitama Arena
Betting odds: USA (-800), France (+520)
Despite all the turmoil, those putting money down still think Team USA will come away with gold. The United States is the overwhelming favorite (odds -500).
France is led by NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Neither of the Pistons pair of Frenchmen, Sekou Doumbouya or Killian Hayes, are on the team. They are not even listed as an alternate. That is particularly surprising in Hayes case, as he played on several French junior national teams.
This will be the first time all 12-members of Team USA will be together. Three players, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton (who played his rookie year with the Pistons) and Devin Booker, flew in on Saturday after being in the NBA finals (Booker must have loved that flight!)
McGee was a late addition when Kevin Love withdrew due to a lingering calf injury, and coach Gregg Popovich realized it might be good to have a center on the team. McGee did not play in any of Team USA’s exhibition games.
Grant served in the final exhibition game as the backup to Jayson Tatum at small forward. However, with four new players, three whom have never practiced with the team, who knows what Popovich will come up with as a rotation.
If you can get up, it will certainly be entertaining.
Wake up real early for Olympics and watch Jahlil Okafor play for Nigeria
The other member of the Pistons playing in Tokyo, is Jahlil Okafor with the Nigerian Olympic team.
Okafor was recovering from knee surgery at the end of the Pistons season, so it will be of interest to Detroit fans to see how he looks. They also open up with a tough opponent in Australia. Nigeria got clobbered by Australia in Las Vegas, the game after they beat the United States.
Jah looks ready to rock:
Jahlil Okafor of @DetroitPistons ready to suit up
— #NBBF (@nbbfonline) July 24, 2021
First Olympics and international debut for Nigeria pic.twitter.com/7QQSMPOjlr
Who: Nigeria vs. Australia
What: Pool game in Olympic men’s basketball tournament (top two advance)
When: Sunday, July 24, 4:20 a.m. (ET)
TV: NBCOlympics.com
Where: Japan’s Saitama Arena
Betting odds: Australia +8.5
Nigeria also has Michael Gbinjie, who played nine games for the Pistons in the 2016-17 season (and a lot for the Grand Rapids Drive that year).
Team USA’s next game is a late nighter: Wednesday (12:40 a.m.) vs. Iran.
Since there are so many unknowns, the game against France should be interesting as a basketball fan.