17 days is all that separates USAB and their first game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While the fans are getting restless till the action tips off on July 28, the team is gearing up for the tough test ahead. LeBron James and Co. are going into the Olympics to capture the Men’s USAB team’s fifth consecutive gold medal, but Steve Kerr has some concerning updates for the team.

The Warriors HC has a whole host of superstars to work with and that just might have made life harder for him and his star cast of assistants consisting of Erik Spoelstra and Ty Lue. One can expect the three can conjure up a magic formula for the juggernauts at their disposal for the perfect 5 but it seems that is harder than anticipated.

Steve Kerr acknowledged the difficulty himself when he was asked about the preparation during his recent appearance on the 95.7 The Game podcast. Letting everyone know the state proceedings through his eyes, Kerr said, “We’ve had four days of practice so we’re not ready yet. We’re going to need a couple of weeks to really get the guys I think in game shape and getting them to all be on the same page with terminology schemes all that stuff.” Kerr emphasized the reason for playing so many exhibition matches leading up to the Olympics. “There’s a reason you know we’ve got five exhibition games before we start the Olympics. So we’re playing Canada tonight (already concluded), we take off for Abu Dhabi tomorrow and we’ve got two games there and then two games in London before we start up in France.”

Despite Kerr’s apprehensive tone, the USAB got off to a flying start in their preparation game against Canada. Anthony Edwards led the scoring for the home side with 13 followed by Stephen Curry‘s 12. LeBron James and Curry’s tandem offense stole the show in the 86-72 win for the USAB. But for Steve Kerr, the experience of managing the national team is anything unlike what he experienced.

Steve Kerr draws Warriors comparison

Steve Kerr’s coaching legacy is intimately intertwined with the Dubs. So it was only natural to have a comparison between managing the Warriors and the national team. Kerr said, “Well, it’s definitely difficult to decide who to play, because you know they’re all so talented and, when you get down to it really in a FIBA game which is only 40 minutes instead of 48 like the NBA, you have to make some really difficult decisions.”

After Kawhi Leonard‘s withdrawal from the squad, Derrick White has been called up to the team, which only further increases the team selection worries. The race against time to reach full cohesion is also a factor coming into it which is different than a franchise where a group of players are together for 9 months. “So I think the part of the appeal though for these guys is to be part of something together. They’re so used to competing against each other all season in the NBA and I think they really love coming together for you a basketball and competing together, being together for five weeks, and it’s a different challenge,” Kerr concluded.

While

some have voiced against LeBron James and Steph Curry having a place in the starting line-up, it doesn’t need one to be a rocket scientist to guess they’d be the first name on the team sheet. The biggest challenge for Kerr and Co. is to get the combination around them right and in the next four exhibition games, the picture will be much clearer going into the Olympics.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video