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Team USA prepared for the Olympic Games at the City St George's, University of London sports facility

By Katie Hoggan (Communications Officer (Corporate)), Published

City St George’s, University of London played host to Team USA as the squad's elite basketball players prepared for the Olympic Games.

Yesterday (Tuesday 6 August) marked 'the best day in basketball' with the Olympic men's quarter-finals which saw Team USA dominate Brazil. But before the sports icons wowed at the Accor Arena in Paris, the team were spotted training at CitySport – the University’s Clerkenwell-based sports centre.

CitySport, which features one of the largest indoor halls in central London, hosted the USA men’s and women’s teams from Friday 19 July to Tuesday 23 July. The men’s team played against South Sudan and Germany while the women’s team also competed against their German counterparts.

Team USA played at CitySport ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

  • LeBron James and Stephen Curry

    Credit:  USA Basketball/ Nathaniel S. Butler

  • Stephen Curry

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Nathaniel S. Butler

  • Kevin Durant

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Nathaniel S. Butler

  • Joel Embiid

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Joe Murphy

  • American Ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, also attended to wish the players luck ahead of their departure to Paris

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Joe Murphy

  • One of the greatest players in the history of basketball, LeBron James, visited CitySport ahead of the Paris Olympics

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Joe Murphy

Among their rosters, the USA teams included LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis on the men’s team and Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Brittney Griner on the women's team.

American Ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, also attended to wish the players luck ahead of their departure to Paris.

The venue has a proven track record of hosting large-scale basketball events, including the Boston Celtics in 2018, NCAA college games, and an NBA showcase in 2023.

When Team USA came to visit, some court sessions allowed invitation-only access to the public which provided some lucky individuals with insight into preparation for elite sport’s most prestigious competition.

Team USA played at CitySport ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

  • The women's team played on the CitySport court

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Alex Shigo

  • A'ja Wilson

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Alex Shigo

  • Jackie Young

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Alex Shigo

  • Brittney Griner

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Alex Shigo

  • Diana Taurasi

    Diana Taurasi

    Credit: USA Basketball/ Alex Shigo

On hosting the legendary teams, Tom Edwards, Head of Sport and Leisure for City St George's, University of London said:

It has been a privilege to host some of the world’s most talented athletes at CitySport over the past week as both squads prepared for the pre-Olympic warm-up games. We now wish them the best of luck in the fixtures in Paris itself.

We are proud to offer a high-quality Central London facility suitable for USA Basketball for our students and local community. We are continuously growing our programme and will be increasing the number of basketball opportunities over the coming months.

Membership Benefits:

  • Unlimited Gym Access: Visit the well-equipped gym anytime.
  • Gym Floor Classes: Participate in classes led by fitness professionals providing training and lifestyle management advice.
  • Studio Classes: Enjoy unlimited access to classes such as dance, yoga, boot camp, spin and fitness.
  • Sports Booking: Advanced booking for badminton, basketball, 5-a-side football, netball, table tennis, volleyball or pickleball.
  • BUCS UNIversal Gym Membership: Access to 75+ other University gyms across the UK, including 12 within London. You can find the full list of gyms at the BUCS The Network

Attend the Sports Welcome event on Saturday 28 September to find out more.

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