Olympics

Count Trae Young and Bradley Beal among the NBA superstars who will potentially make their Team USA debuts at the 2023 World Cup

“Yes, I’m definitely open to it,” Young told Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I mean, even since I was in high school, it’s been my dream as a basketball player. I’ve tried out multiple times since I’ve been in high school. There’s been a couple of times when I could have been on that team, and it kind of hurt my heart.”

Young failed in two attempts to make the national team under the former regime of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and longtime managing director Jerry Colangelo. He was left off the 2019 World Cup team that was scrambling for help, and in 2021 when the Americans needed a replacement for the Olympics, the nod went to Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, with whom Popovich had familiarity.

Beal likely would have already made his debut on the international stage if it weren't for outside forces. The birth of his son led to him withdrawing from consideration in 2019, and Beal missed the 2020 Summer Games after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

“I definitely see myself playing for USA,” Beal told The Athletic. “That’s always been a goal of mine, obviously to play in the Olympics, but there’s a step to get there [the World Cup]. So if it’s available to me, for sure.”

New Team USA leadership will be a major boost to Young in particular. Grant Hill, a Hawks minority owner, took over for Colangelo as executive director and shares a friendly relationship with Young.

Team USA coach Steve Kerr also has plenty of experience coaching high-level guards who sometimes take jaw-dropping three-point attempts. Kerr will likely be a better fit for Young than the more structured Popovich.

Beal will almost certainly be selected for the World Cup team and 2024 Olympic squad provided he remains healthy. His game is a near-perfect fit for the international level, and he's the type of player who can mesh with nearly any supporting cast.

Olympian Michael Phelps announced the death of his father, Fred, in an Instagram post Monday.

"You'll always be my dad…And I'll always be your son," Phelps wrote. "…Love you dad and I will miss you❤️❤️ rip dad."

Fellow athletes Lindsey Vonn, CC Sabathia and Adam Jones were among those who offered condolences in the Instagram comments.

As TMZ Sports noted, Fred Phelps played college football and tried out for the Washington football team. He later became a Maryland State Trooper.

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all-time, winning 28 medals in swimming, including 23 gold medals. He retired after the 2016 Olympics.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is a wanted man leading up to the 2024 Olympics.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein in his Substack Newsletter, Embiid has "firm interest" from Team USA for the Paris Games.

Stein noted Embiid, who gained French citizenship in July, is also being pursued by the host country to play for the French national team.

Embiid told reporters on Sept. 29 he was also sworn in as a U.S. citizen earlier in the month.

"I've been here for a long time," the five-time All-Star said. "My son is American. I felt like, I'm living here and it's a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?"

French national team coach Vincent Collet told reporters Thursday he's hopeful Embiid will play for him in two years.

"I know he met some of our players to discuss," Collet said. "I think he should play with us. But we will see. We will respect his decision whatever it is."

Even though the Olympic teams would probably like a swift decision, Embiid made it clear he's not focused on 2024 right now.

"I just want to be healthy and win a championship and go from there," he said last month.

Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, has yet to participate in the Olympics. He was mentored by fellow Cameroon basketball player Luc Mbah a Moute before heading to Kansas in 2013.

Steve Kerr will be the head coach for Team USA during this Olympic cycle. He will take over for Gregg Popovich, who led the squad to a gold medal at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

The U.S. team defeated France 87-82 in the men's final to win its fourth consecutive Olympic title. Despite the loss, the French squad tied its best finish at the Olympics and medaled for the first time since 2000.

Team USA is the top squad in the FIBA world rankings. Spain, Australia, Argentina and France round out the top five.

While Embiid decides about his Olympic future, he is also preparing for his ninth season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 28-year-old is coming off the best season of his career. He averaged an NBA-best 30.6 points per game and finished second in MVP voting.

The Sixers will open the regular season on Oct. 18 against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

Jim Redmond, who famously helped his son Derek finish a 400m semifinals race at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics after he tore his hamstring, has died, according to Reuters.

He was 81.

"He tried to talk me out of it at first," Derek Redmond told BBC Sport in 2012 about his father coming onto the track to help him finish the race. "He was telling me that I had nothing to prove and that I didn't need to do this, but I told him I was going to finish. Then he said that we would do it together. So we did, and I limped over the line in tears."

Because his father came onto the track to assist him, he was officially disqualified and given a "did not finish" designation. But it nonetheless became one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history.

"Rest in peace Jim Redmond, father to Derek, whose Olympic moment will never be forgotten," Team Great Britain tweeted.

Jim Redmond later went on to be an Olympic torchbearer for Great Britain in the 2012 London Games.

"Whatever happened, he had to finish and I was going to help him finish," Jim told the BBC in 1992 after the race (h/t Reuters). "We started his career together and we were going to finish it together."

The 1992 Games were Derek Redmond's final Olympics, as he said in 2012 he had "eight or nine operations but I was never fit enough to compete again."

It was a disappointing end to his running career, as an Achilles injury had also ended his bid for glory at the 1988 Seoul Games. But he and his father nonetheless will forever live on in Olympic lore for their inspirational moment together on the track.

Eliud Kipchoge continues to set the bar in long-distance running.

The 37-year-old Kenyan won the Berlin Marathon with a final time of two hours, one minute, nine seconds Sunday. He set a new world record in the process, besting the mark (2:01:39) he set in the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

"My legs and my body still feel young," Kipchoge told reporters. "But the most important thing is my mind, and that also feels fresh and young. I'm so happy to break the world record."

The two-time Olympic gold medalist thought he could've posted an even better time as well, explaining he "went too fast" in the first half of the marathon.

Kipchoge initially claimed the world record from fellow countryman Dennis Kimetto, who crossed the finish line at the 2014 Berlin Marathon in 2:02:57. A Kenyan has held the fastest marathon time since 2011.

Assuming he competes in the 2023 Berlin Marathon, Kipchoge can again rewrite the record books. A fifth win would move him past Haile Gebrselassie for the most all-time in the event.

The World Anti-Doping Agency will not remove marijuana from its list of banned substances despite a continued push from athletes supporting the use of cannabis for therapeutic or recreational purposes.

WADA released a statement saying cannabis use is "against the spirit of sport," and director general Olivier Niggli said unbanning marijuana use is not supported by experts.

"WADA is also mindful that the few requests for THC's removal from the Prohibited List are not supported by the experts' thorough review," Niggli said. "We are also conscious that the laws of many countries—as well as broad international regulatory laws and policies—support maintaining cannabis on the List at this time."

WADA was asked to review unbanning marijuana use after United States sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was barred from last year's Tokyo Olympics for a positive test. Richardson said she used marijuana to cope with the death of her mother.

She would have represented the U.S. in the 100-meter dash, where she would have been a contender to medal.

Attitudes regarding marijuana use have seen a significant shift in recent years, particularly in North America. Canada and Mexico legalized cannabis for both recreational and medical use in recent years. While marijuana remains illegal on a federal level in the United States, several states have legalized its recreational and/or medical use.

In the vast majority of other countries, marijuana remains fully illegal. Some European nations and much of South America have approved cannabis for medical purposes, but recreational use largely remains banned worldwide.

Ilia Malinin wrote his name into the record books Wednesday.

The 17-year-old landed a quad axel in the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, becoming the first to do so in competition.

"When I’m practicing it, it's pretty easy for me to figure out how to get the right timing and everything to have it be a good attempt," Malinin said of the difficult jump. "To do it in competition is a different story, because you have nerves and pressure that can get in the way of that. So I have to treat it like I'm at home, and it feels pretty good."

Malinin finished with an overall score of 257.28 to coast to a gold medal. France's Kevin Aymoz won silver, with American Camden Pulkinen rounding out the podium.

Malinin is among the U.S. representatives for this year's Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, which kicks off Oct. 21 with the Skate America. There, the Virginia native will have an opportunity to test himself against the best in the world ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The 2008 United States men's basketball team will be the subject of a Netflix documentary.

Netflix dropped a trailer for Redeem Team, produced by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, about the "untold story" of the squad that brought U.S. men's basketball to the top of the mountain at the Beijing Olympics.

After winning gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics, Team USA men's basketball underwent a transition phase that led to some difficult results on the court.

The 2002 squad that competed at the FIBA World Championships became the first one to lose in an international tournament with NBA players on the roster. They lost a total of three games, including an 81-78 defeat to Yugoslavia in the quarterfinals.

Things did improve for the U.S. in 2003 at the Tournament of the Americas thanks to the participation of several NBA superstars at the peak of their careers, including Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.

That group cruised to victory with 10 wins by an average of 24.6 points per game to clinch a berth in the 2004 Olympics. The Athens games saw several players from the 2003 team not participate, notably McGrady, Kidd, Carter, Jermaine O'Neal and Elton Brand.

James, Wade and Carmelo Anthony participated, but all three had not yet established themselves as go-to superstars after just one season in the NBA. America went 3-2 in group play and lost to Argentina in the semifinal, settling for a bronze medal.

It marked the first time since 1988 that Team USA didn't win gold at the Olympics. Their 5-3 record in the tournament was their worst in the history of the event.

Four years later, led by a more experienced James, Wade, Anthony and captained by Kobe Bryant, the U.S. steamrolled its competition en route to a gold medal in Beijing. The squad went 8-0 with a +223 point differential.

The documentary about the Redeem Team drops Oct. 7 on Netflix.

The United States has won the 2022 Duel in the Pool after outscoring Australia 309-284 in the three-day event.

The unique competition featured a variety of head-to-head events between the biggest stars from the two countries. Australia kept pace for a while, trailing by just 11 points after two days at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

The Americans secured the win on Sunday, as they came through on several key relays.

Here are the race-by-race results, via Ian Hanson of Swimming World.

Mixed 6x50m freestyle: Australia

Women’s 800m freestyle broken: USA (Bella Sims)

Men’s 200m freestyle: USA (Luke Hobson)

Mixed 4x50m freestyle MC/AB relay: USA

Women’s 3x50m freestyle skins: Australia (Shayna Jack)

Men’s 3x50m breaststroke skins: USA (Michael Andrew)

Women’s 100m butterfly: Australia (Emma McKeon)

Women’s 3x50m backstroke skins: Australia (Emma McKeon)

Men’s 4x100m freestyle: USA

Men’s 100m backstroke: USA (Justin Ress)

Mixed 3x50m freestyle para skins - staggered start: Australia (Will Martin)

Women’s 100m freestyle: Australia (Mollie O’Callaghan)

Men’s 400m freestyle broken: USA

Men’s 50m freestyle: USA (David Curtiss)

Women’s 100m breaststroke: Australia (Chelsea Hodges)

Men’s 3x50m butterfly skins: USA (Shaine Casas)

Mixed 100m freestyle para: Australia (Will Martin)

Women’s Mystery Medley: Australia (Kaylee McKeown)

Random Relay: Australia

Each team had 30 swimmers, including open-water competitors and paralympic swimmers, creating a wide-ranging event.

A mixed-class relay was one of the highlights of the weekend, won by the United States:

The Americans also won a more traditional 4x100m freestyle relay that helped pick up a lot of points in the competition:

The "power play" gave USA double points for the event, and the foursome of Ryan Held, Shaine Casa, Luke Hobson and Grant House came through when needed.

Hobson was especially impressive in his leg, adding to his win in the men's 200m freestyle.

The event also featured a varied lineup compared to a usual swim meet, including skins competitions that eliminated competitors and tested endurance. A mystery medley forced individuals to swim each of the four disciplines, although the order was different for each competitor.

The last race, a "random relay," caused the United States to race a 2x200m freestyle relay against the Australian's 4x100m relay.

The hosts showed a lot of versatility to win the different races, with star Emma McKeon helping to keep the team in contention with several wins. It still wasn't enough to top the United States, which has won every year in the Duel in the Pool.

The United States will carry a 159-148 lead over Australia into the final day of the 2022 Duel in the Pool after a strong showing Saturday at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

After dropping Friday's open-water competition at Bondi Beach, Team USA bounced back in the wide variety of unique events on Day 2.

Here's a look at Saturday's race-by-race results, via Spencer Penland of Swim Swam:

• Mixed 4x100-Meter Medley Relay: Australia
• Women's Broken 400-Meter Freestyle: United States
• Men's 100-Meter Butterfly: United States (Shaine Casas)
• Mixed Multi-Class 4x50-Meter Freestyle Relay: Australia
• Women's 3x50-Meter Butterfly Skins: United States
• Men's 100-Meter Breaststroke: United States (Michael Andrew)
• Women's 50-Meter Freestyle: Australia (Meg Harris)
• Women's 3x50-Meter Breaststroke Skins: United States
  
• Men's Broken 800-Meter Freestyle: Australia
• Men's 100-Meter Freestyle: United States (Ryan Held)
• Mixed Multi-Class 100-Meter Freestyle: United States (McKenzie Coan)
• Women's 4x100-Meter Medley Relay: Australia
• Men's 3x50-Meter Backstroke Skins: United States
• Men's Mystery 200-Meter Individual Medley: United States (Trenton Julian)
• Women's 100-Meter Backstroke: Australia (Kaylee McKeown)
• Men's 3x50-Meter Freestyle Skins: United States
• Mixed Multi-Class 3x50-Meter Form-Stroke Skins: Australia
• Women's 200-Meter Freestyle: United States (Bella Sims)
• Mixed 4x50-Meter Random Relay: United States

The United States has won each of the seven editions of the Duel in the Pool, which debuted in 2003. The first three victories came against Australia before the event shifted to a U.S. vs. Europe format in 2009. It had been on hiatus since 2015.

Given Team USA's prior dominance, Australia head coach Rohan Taylor is pleased his side has a chance to pull off the upset heading into Sunday, per Kieran Pender of The Guardian.

"If you look at the history, the Duels have normally been a blowout," Taylor said. "But we're hanging in there."

There are 19 races on Sunday's schedule, which will continue to use the multifaceted scoring system that awards separate points for the four styles of events.

A total of $200,000 in prize money will be awarded at the conclusion of the meet, per Ian Hanson of Swimming World Magazine.

Sunday's races begin at 7 p.m. in Sydney (5 a.m. ET in the U.S.). Live coverage is available on USA Swimming's official website.