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LeBron, Curry, Durant head US Olympic ‘Dream team’

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LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will spearhead a star-studded United States Olympic basketball squad

LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will spearhead a star-studded United States Olympic basketball squad chasing a fifth straight gold medal at this summer’s Paris Games, officials announced Wednesday.

USA Basketball confirmed a formidable 12-man roster bristling with NBA talent that also includes reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid along with Boston Celtics standouts Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

Los Angeles Lakers star James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, will be competing in his fourth Olympics after appearances at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Games.

Golden State star Curry — whose season came to an end on Tuesday when the Warriors were eliminated from the NBA play-in tournament — will be playing in his first Olympics.

Other star names in a squad which contains 12 NBA All-Stars, four NBA MVPs and six NBA champions include Phoenix’s Devin Booker, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard.

Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton are also named.

“I’m grateful to these 12 men for their commitment to represent USA Basketball,” USA Basketball’s men’s national team managing director Grant Hill said.

“The United States is home to some of the best basketball players in the world and I appreciate the vast interest in being part of this roster. These decisions weren’t easy, but it was a pleasure to go through the process and reach this outcome.

“We have the utmost respect for the level of competition we will face this summer.

“The Olympics represent the pinnacle of sport and the world will be watching the USA as we play in the toughest basketball tournament in history.”

Embiid and Leonard will be making their US national team debuts when the squad plays in a pre-Olympic game against Canada in Las Vegas on July 10.

Golden State’s Steve Kerr has been named head coach, with assistants including Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga University’s Mark Few.

 

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Mbappé’s mum drops Real Madrid transfer hint at PSG farewell

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Kylian Mbappé organised a party Monday to mark his farewell from Paris Saint-Germain, during which his mother and agent,

Kylian Mbappé organised a party Monday to mark his farewell from Paris Saint-Germain, during which his mother and agent, Fayza Lamari, hinted he will join Real Madrid this summer.

Around 250 guests attended the party at Gigi, a high-end Italian restaurant near Paris’ Champs Élysées. Upon leaving the venue, Lamari was asked where her son would play next season, and she replied: “You all know it already.”

Mbappé is widely expected to join Madrid having already confirmed he will leave PSG when his contract expires this summer.

Sources told ESPN he is expected to join Madrid after the Spanish giants face Dortmund in the Champions League final on June 1.

Mbappé is still keen to compete for France at the Paris Olympics, ESPN sources added, although Madrid remain firm in their belief their players must choose to play in either Euro 2024 or the Olympics.

His father, Wilfried, and his younger brother, Ethan, also attended Monday’s farewell party, as well as most of his PSG teammates, club staff, his friends and extended family.

PSG manager Luis Enrique did not attend. He dropped Mbappé for the last two league matches of the season, and there is a question mark over whether he will play in Saturday’s French Cup final against Lyon.

French President Emmanuel Macron and PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi were invited but also did not attend.

 

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Liverpool offer too big to reject – Arne Slot

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Arne Slot says the opportunity to work at one of the "biggest clubs in the world" was "difficult to ignore" as he was confirmed as Liverpool

Arne Slot says the opportunity to work at one of the “biggest clubs in the world” was “difficult to ignore” as he was confirmed as Liverpool’s new head coach.

The Reds agreed a compensation deal worth £9.4m with Feyenoord in April after the 45-year-old was identified as the man to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Klopp, who had been in charge of Liverpool since October 2015, left the club following their season-finale win against Wolves on Sunday.

After the game, the 56-year-old German called on Liverpool fans to get behind their new boss, chanting “Arne Slot, na na na na na”.

Slot’s three-year contract at Liverpool will officially start on 1 June, subject to a work permit.

“It is certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you have experienced so many wonderful moments and worked successfully with so many wonderful people,” Slot told Feyenoord’s club website.

“But as a sportsman, an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is difficult to ignore.”

Following Liverpool’s announcement on Monday, Mohamed Salah appeared to suggest he would remain at Anfield next season.

“We know that trophies are what count and we will do everything possible to make that happen next season. Our fans deserve it and we will fight like hell,” the 31-year-old posted on X.

Liverpool rejected a £150m offer from Al-Ittihad for Salah last summer, but the Saudi Pro League’s director of football Michael Emenalo later said the door was not closed to the Egypt winger.

 

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Burnley’s Kompany surprise candidate for Bayern job

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Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is a surprise name on Bayern Munich’s list of potential candidates to become their new coach.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is a surprise name on Bayern Munich’s list of potential candidates to become their new coach.

The Bundesliga giants have struggled to find a replacement for Thomas Tuchel, whose exit was confirmed last week after initially being announced in February.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann and Austria coach Ralf Rangnick have all turned the job down.

Talks aimed at persuading Tuchel to stay on failed to reach a positive conclusion, leaving Bayern with a problem.

Kompany has built a decent reputation during his time at Anderlecht and Burnley, although the Clarets’ relegation – following lofty pre-season expectations – has not reflected well on the Belgian.

However, he has knowledge of the Bundesliga from his time as a player at Hamburg and speaks German.

If Bayern were to make a formal approach, it is sure to be attractive to Kompany, who signed a five-year contract extension at Burnley in 2023 but refused to answer questions about his future after Sunday’s season-ending defeat by Nottingham Forest.

Bayern endured a trophyless campaign under Tuchel, finishing third in the league behind unbeaten champions Leverkusen and second-placed Stuttgart.

 

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