The US national basketball team is on fire a month before the start of the Olympic games in Rio. The Americans beat China with a margin of 50 points! The victory was so easy that it looked like a humiliation for the Chinese basketball players. The final score was 107:57, as this is the second victory for the USA in a row against China in just 3 days. The previous meeting between these two teams finished with another huge margin in the final score (106:57).

The head coach Mike Krzyzewski can be pleased of his most valuable player in the game – DeMarcus Cousins. The power forward scored 21 points and made 11 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony added 20 points, while Klay Thompson finished with the record of 15 points and 5 assists. Kevin Durant managed to score 13 points.

To continue with, the Americans are about to play two more friendly matches before the start of the Olympic games in August. A match against Venezuela is scheduled for 29th July. The game will be held in Chicago. The other match will be against another participant in the Olympic games in Rio – Nigeria (1st August) and will be held in Houston.

Ironically, the first match for the US team of the Olympics is exactly against China on 6th August. So, after these two consecutive smashing victories against the Chinese basketball players, the Chinese team looks like doomed against the Americans. The last victory over China was the 66th consecutive victory for the US team in friendlies and official matches. The last time USA lost a match was 10 years ago – in 2006! That was the defeat to Greece (101-95) in a semi-final game of the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

In conclusion, we have to say the US team is the most successful team in the history of basketball. The Americans have won the Olympic games on 14 occasions. Of course, they are again the biggest favourites for winning the gold medals. In addition, they have the chance to win the title for the 3rd consecutive time. And even, without a lot of their big stars, the Americans seem too classy to be beaten by the other teams.

The most valuable player in the National Basketball Association in the last two seasons, Stephen Curry, feels sorry that he was forced to miss the Olympics due to injuries, received during the playoffs in the league.

“I was very unhappy, because of the situation… Now I have to miss the Olympic games. I wanted to participate. I was looking forward to the Olympics, but the injury won’t let me play. Now I have to rest,” Stephen Curry said in an interview.

The star of the Golden State stretched knee ligament in the first round of eliminations. Then, he missed a few games, and Curry was not completely fit in the final series, lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“When I got the injury in the playoffs, I knew that I would need a lot of time to recover and summer will be very important for my next season. In the current situation, I should relax and prepare my body for the new campaign,” Curry added.

We have to say that a lot of the best American players in the NBA will miss the Olympics due to different reasons. For example, LeBron James wants some more resting time, and that’s why he denied to take part in the competition. He has won this tournament on two occasions (in 2008 and 2012), but now he feels tired after the long season in the NBA. The shooting guard James Harden and Russell Westbrook are also going to miss the Olympic games.

At both ends, money talks… A professional sportsman must be proud of representing his country and mustn’t refuse to help his nation. However, the situation with Stephen Curry is quite different, because he had an injury, but the other players, who just refused to take part mustn’t be selected again in the squad, just for edification!

When you have a lot of money and a lot of free time, sometimes you can indulge to a vice. The most common vice among the professional athletes are, of course, alcohol and drugs! Here is a small ranking of players, who have ruined their professional career because of their vices.

Len Bias

The small forward was one of the most talented players of his generation. Bias’ story is an example of how drugs and alcohol can ruin everything in your life. Shortly after signing a contract for more than $3 m. with Boston Celtics, the forward has returned to the campus in the university and several hours later has been found by the police and has been reported that he was not breathing. The reason for his death was cocaine.

Michael Ray Richardson

Richardson had a long career as a player, but the most of his playing time he spent in Europe. Even though he started very well in 1978 as a Knicks’ player, Michael Ray spent only several years in the best league in the world, after failing 3 drug tests in 1986. He was banned from playing in the NBA for life. However, Richardson had the chance to return 2 years later, but failed another 2 tests and moved to Italy.

Chris Washburn

He is another example of how drugs and alcohol can ruin your career. Chris Washburn admitted to the staff members of his team that he had a cocaine problem. So, he recorded only 2 seasons in the NBA. Considered as a very gifted player, before being selected for the Golden State Warriors, the drugs had eventually cost Washburn a successful NBA career.
In conclusion, there are many sad stories of good basketball players, who can’t develop because of different addictions. The 1986 NBA draft is considered as the ‘cursed’ one, because many of the young talents were using cocaine. However, now it looks like the drugs aren’t very modern among the professional basketball players. Instead of this, we can see lots of doping scandals. For sure, the professional sports will never be the same, as there are lot of spent money and the owners of the clubs want immediate results!

The Olympic vice champion from Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Spain began their preparations for the Olympic games Rio 2016. La Furia Roja started with a glorious victory against Angola. The final result was smashing – 85:61 and that was the first friendly match for Spain before the most important international basketball tournament. The match was played at Coliseum in Burgos.

La Furia Roja played against the African team without four of their best players – the brothers Pau and Marc Gasol, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez. In their absence, Nikola Mirotic and Alex Abrines took the responsibility. They were the most effective players on the pitch, finishing with 19 and 16 points. The veteran baller Felipe Reyes also played well and scored 13 points in just over 14 minutes of playing time.

Joaquim Valdelicio and Santos Hermenegildo bagged 11 points for Angola, while the team leader Carlos Mora could score only 3 points. He was awful, scoring only one of his 9 attempts.

Angola failed to qualify for the Olympic basketball tournament as they were knocked out of the group stage qualification in Belgrade.

On the other hand, Spain managed to qualify for the Olympic games in Rio, after finishing in second position of Group B, in which were also the teams of Argentina, Brazil, Lithuania, Croatia and Nigeria.

It will be very interesting whether Spain will finally reach the golden medals. As you know, the Spaniards have lost the final on 3 occasions (in 1984, 2008 and 2012). La Furia Roja lost all these finals to the USA. But the US team, which is the biggest favourite for retaining the title, is without a very big number of superstars.

In conclusion, we have to say that it won’t be something extraordinary if we see Spain against the USA in the final. But this time Spain seem to have stronger team and it won’t be a surprise if La Furia Roja finally lift the trophy!

Welcome to the world of the basketball giants! You will find out who are the tallest basketball players in the history of the NBA.

When we talk about basketball, we know that one of the main aspects to be among the greatest players is to be very tall! But, these men are so tall, that their opponents can hardly see the basket…

4. In the fourth place there are three NBA players – Pavel Podkolzin, Chuck Nevitt and Sim Bhullar. They all are 2.26 m. tall! So, I am sure they will have difficulties in entering your home via the door!

3. Yao Ming and Shawn Bradley. They are just 3 cm. taller than the previous three players. Who is the tallest Chinese you have ever seen? Yes, this is Yao Ming! He has been the best ever Chinese basketball player. Ming was a part of the Houston Rockets’ team since 2002 until 2011.

2. Slavko Vranes plays as a center. He was picked as №39 from the draft in 2003. The 2.30 m. high basketball player played for Portland Trail Blazers in 2004. Vranes is currently a player of Ayandez Sazan Tehran (Iran).

1. Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan. Here are the tallest players in the history of the NBA! Both are sharing the record (2.31 m. tall).

Bol was a Sudanese. He has played basketball professionally for 12 years (between 1985 and 1996). Manute also played as a center. The Sudanese has played for the teams of Rhode Island, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia, Miami Heat and so on.

Gheorghe Muresan is as tall as Bol, but he is heavier. The Romanian was 145 kg. during his professional career, while Bol has been just 91 kg. which is nothing for his height! However, can you guess what was Muresan’s position? Of course, he was a center!

In conclusion, do you know how tall was the tallest man ever? Robert Wadlow (2.72 m.) was an American born in 1918 and died in 1940. Now, imagine if he was a basketball player!

The Fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder have reacted really badly to the move of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors. They feel Durant is a traitor and obviously hate him now! After the baller announced his decision to leave the Thunder for the Warriors, the fans have started to compete who will burn a shirt with Durant’s name on it. Then, the fans upload their videos in the social media sites.

The star player has announced from a while that he had the intention to become a free agent. That’s why all the clubs in the NBA were interested in signing him. Durant spent 8 very successful seasons at his current team, but he thinks it’s time to move on. He was offered a new contract by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the small forward has rejected it. All the negotiations were held in New York and after the meeting with the representatives of the Golden State Warriors on 1st July 2016, Kevin Durant decided to join one of the strongest teams in the NBA.

“These were the most challenging few weeks in my professional career. I totally understand that I was at a crossroads in my evolution as a player and as a person and that choices are extremely difficult. I didn’t only understand the different emotions that I felt during this process. The main point of my decision is my development as a basketball player and I think I have chosen the right direction. But I also am in a stage of my life, in which it is equally important to develop as a person. I had to leave my “comfort zone” and move to a new city and a new community, which offers the greatest opportunity of my personality growth and development. That made me choose the Golden State Warriors,” Kevin Durant explained his decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The small forward added that he feels very bad, because he has disappointed so many people, but the reactions towards Durant’s decision mustn’t be that cruel.
In conclusion, we have to say that with Durant in their squad, the Golden State Warriors are going to become the super favourites for winning the NBA again. However, the fans can do nothing, but burn their jerseys with Durant’s name on it, and of course upload the clips on Twitter.

Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union

Dwyane is one the most famous basketball players. He is currently a free agent, after spending 13 years at Miami Heat. Wade has been an NBA champion on 3 occasions. He is a real basketball star and is dating the actress Gabrielle Union since 2009. However, they split together, because the actress wanted to indulge to her career.

Carmelo & La La Anthony

The 32-year-old basketball player of the New York Knicks is a nine-time participant of the NBA All-Star. He is married to Alani Nicole “La La” Anthony, who is an American radio and television personality. They have a son, named Kiyan, who was born in 2007. They are an example of a successful star couple!

Tiger Woods & Lindsey Vonn

The most famous golf player in the world – Tiger Woods hasn’t hidden his relationship with the skier Lindsey Vonn. However, the controversies with Woods’ personal life are countless. He may think he had found his soul mate in 2013, but two years later the stars split up!

Serge Ibaka & Keri Hilson

Again basketball player is in our rank list. The Congoan Serge Ibaka dates the singer Keri Hilson. He teaches her a new language – the language of love. However, the baller can speak 4 languages and is one of the best in the NBA. So, this couple is deservedly in our rank list!

Wladimir Klitschko & Hayden Panettiere

The Ukrainian professional boxer is one of the strongest men in the world. But, he has also a “weak spot” and her name is Hayden Panettiere. Their love story is very long, as they began dating in 2009, but split up 2 years later. But, they renew their relationship in April 2013. Now, Wladimir and Hayden have a child, named Kaya.

Gerard Pique & Shakira

The Spanish football player Gerard Pique met Shakira in 2010, when he decided to take part in the clip of the song “Waka Waka”, which was the soundtrack of the World Cup 2010. No matter Shakira is 10 years older than her man, love is not interested in age! It’s interesting that the couple is sharing the same birthday! They are very happy together and have two children – Milan and Sasha.

David & Victoria Beckham

One of the most famous football players in the world David Beckham and his beloved wife Victoria, who is a fashion designer, model and singer, have now been married for 17 years. The couple has 4 children and are the brightest example for a happy and successful family.

Nick Young & Iggy Azalea

The romance between the baller Nick Young and the singer Iggy Azalea started in 2013. They were even engaged in 2015, but Azalea broke it up just a year later. Young’s teammate was the reason for the separation of the star couple. The teammate was crazy about her and took a clip, in which Young was talking about other women.

Grigor Dimitrov and Nicole Scherzinger

They have recently started dating. The best Bulgarian tennis player has broken lots of hearts, including Maria Sharapova’s! It looks like the 25-year-old man is not worried about the age difference between him and his new girlfriend – the singer Nicole Scherzinger (38). Will the American singer be the next love victim of the Bulgarian playboy?

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ana Ivanovic

The wedding is very close! However, it was delayed because of Schweini’s participation in the Euro 2016. The relationship between the German international football player and the Serbian tennis player began in 2014. We will see how long they will be together.