Oakland to host rare USA Hoops showcase
This happens only about once every decade, so it’s a kind of a big deal. The basketball team that will represent the United States in the Olympics will play an exhibition game in Oakland – something that hasn’t happened since 2002, occurred in 1994 before that and arrives this time with a series of intriguing subplots.
The US team will play China at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Oracle Arena.
“That’s going to be an incredible game and a prime ticket,” said St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin, who played for the Warriors in two stints (1985-97 and 2000-01). “The guys playing are going to get a treat. It’s an incredible place to play.
“The guys know that from going through there, but being the home team, it’s a lot nicer.”
Kevin Durant will be playing at Oracle for the first time since choosing to leave the Thunder for the Warriors, and Harrison Barnes will be playing in Oakland for the first time since leaving Golden State for a max contract in Dallas.
Warriors fans also will get an up-close look at Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, who helped the franchise to an NBA-record 73 wins last season. Point guard Stephen Curry elected to skip the Olympics to recover from ankle, elbow and knee ailments.
“I’m biased because I’ve had tremendous experiences with USA Basketball, but to me, it was an irreplaceable experience,” Mullin said. “But I understand that there are extenuating circumstances for each guy.”
Mullin played for the 1984 team, the last group of US amateurs to win a gold medal. Making that squad required outperforming about 80 other players during a grueling tryout process in Bloomington, Ind.
He returned to USA Basketball in 1992 as part of the first group of professionals to represent the United States in the Olympics. That “Dream Team” was handpicked without a tryout and, led by Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, is widely considered the best collection of talent ever assembled on a single roster.
“Timing was everything with that. I happened to be playing well at the time,” Mullin said. “Everyone knows who was on that team, and to be able to be a part of it was incredible.”
Mitch Richmond, who played for the Warriors from 1988 to 1991, was on the 1988 and 1996 US teams. The 1988 squad finished third in Seoul and the 1996 team dominated to win gold in Atlanta.
“I’m so grateful that I had an opportunity to dust that bronze medal off me and win that gold,” Richmond said. Wearing a USA jersey is so much different than wearing a city’s jersey for an NBA team. “You’re representing the USA.” Richmond said he would have loved the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue in Oakland.
“It’s one of the best crowds that I’ve ever been a part of, and I think that anyone who’s been through there will say the same,” Richmond said. “It’s just a special place to play. You get energy off the crowd, and they’ve been like that for years. “They show up every night.” Especially for once-in-a-decade opportunities. (San Francisco Chronicle/TNS)