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PARIS — It’s not only the spectators. The world’s best athletes also want to see the world’s best athletes perform on the big Olympics stage.
In between their own competitions, and despite the pressure and their busy schedules, many Olympians have made it a priority to show up for their peers at the Paris Games.
Here’s how some of them — a few you might call honorary Olympians — have shown up to support their fellow Olympic athletes at the Paris Games.
Lebron James and Kevin Durant stop by 3-on-3 to pick up some pointers
The superstars of 5-on-5 basketball showed up to the half-court to support the women’s side of the 3-on-3 basketball team, who had yet to win a single game. First Durant, then James the next day. When he went, King James was blessed with a win from the squad, who turned their game around to eventually clinch a bronze medal this week.
Hailey Van Lith, a quarter of the women's roster, said the support from the NBA superstars means a lot. “They talk to us, they care about how our team is doing, how we're doing,” she said. "We always support them and we love to watch them play. To see that reciprocated, it's great for the game.”
The Olympic veterans have given the women, all of whom are in their first Games, some advice on handling the pressure and playing for Team USA. But Durant and James — who between them have six gold medals — are in the audience looking for pointers too. “They're trying to learn 3-on-3 from us,” Van Lith said. “They're asking us about the game.”
Hailey Van Lith roots for Simone Biles
As for Van Lith, she and her 3-on-3 teammates gush over Biles.
“We're spoiled by how good she is,” she said. “We have [women's gymnastics] in our hotel lobby the whole time, so everyone is crowded around.”
But she hadn't had a chance to see her compete in person. Tickets are so in demand, she said, that even Olympians have a tough time getting them.
“We're trying — it's hard to get tickets," she said last week, adding that beach volleyball and golf are also on the squad's wish list.
Anthony Edwards, ping pong enthusiast
Anthony Edwards, a charismatic member of Team USA’s basketball squad, went to a table tennis match to support the women's team last week, enthusiastically cheering on U.S. star Lily Zhang.
Steph Curry, who knows his teammate has a habit of boasting his multi-sport athleticism, riled Edwards up, telling him that the team would shut him out in a game of table tennis 21-0. For his part, the Ant-Man thinks he has what it takes to put up at least one point against them.
Then, the table tennis players returned the favor. The women showed up to Team USA’s practice the following week, looking thrilled to meet the team chasing a fifth straight Olympic gold.
Curry, looking equally as jazzed, got the entire team to sign his ping pong ball.
The Golden State Warrior was also spotted alongside Durant checking out artistic gymnastics.
Snoop Dogg (honorary Olympian)
He’s everywhere — saddling up next to Martha Stewart at the equestrian events in Versailles, Snooping around street skateboarding and fencing, being blown away by Simone Biles’ talent.
It takes some real commitment and athleticism to keep up with the grueling events schedule, so we're giving him the title of honorary Olympian.
We still have five days of competition remaining. Like a Where's Waldo? of the Paris Games, you wonder where Team USA’s favorite mascot will pop up next.
Olympics superfan Antoine Griezmann
The only person who might one-up Snoop for the biggest Olympics fan title — who also wears the honorary badge — might be Antoine Griezmann. Atlético Madrid wouldn’t allow the French soccer player the possibility of playing the Olympics due to his commitments with the club.
No matter.
Right up until the day he needed to be in Madrid for pre-season training, Griezmann was at the Paris Games keeping an impossibly busy schedule.
If you want to know where the action is happening at any given time, you’d do well to follow his X (formerly Twitter) feed, where he issues “Alertes Medailles” when hardware is won for France. The New York Times described him as a “voluntary one-man wire service” for the Olympics.
When he failed to post a timely alert for a triathlon medal, he apologized for the delay.
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