THE O2 has undergone a major transformation in its bid to gear up for the arrival of USA’s men national basketball team.
Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum will fine-tune their preparations for the Paris Olympics with a London training camp this weekend.
USA will take on South Sudan on Friday and face Germany two days later at London’s O2 Arena.
They will then head across the channel looking for a fifth straight Olympic basketball crown dating back to Beijing.
Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and seven-foot Joel Embiid join the line-up for USA’s Basketball Showcase – but the venue has made a round of changes.
The O2 has implemented a series of height modifications to its world famous arena and backstage areas.
To help with the announcement former UK pro basketballer and Love Island star Ovie Soko, 33, was brought in to inspect the alterations.
At six-foot-seven, Ovie was drafted in to trial the height modifications and ensure that they are perfect for the incoming USA stars.
The key changes being made include reconfiguring the backstage entrances to have doorways with extra height.
Organisers also updated the decor within the backstage corridors to be at the appropriate eye level for the tallest stars, including moving signed artwork up a full foot on the walls.
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Nearly 15,000 residents – around 10,500 of which are athletes – will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of “the raunchiest Games ever”, but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
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Adjustments were made to the iconic blue arena seats to allow for maximised width and legroom enabling the stars get comfy while watching the other matches taking place this weekend.
Meanwhile the superstars of Team USA are already in London.
Four-time NBA MVP James joined England footballer Jude Bellingham at an A-list event on Wednesday.
NBA stars Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Tatum and Derrick White were also in attendance.
Former basketball centre Shaquille O’Neal made an appearance as well and was even seen on stage.
The Paris Olympics start on July 26th and will run through to August 11th.
