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LeBron, Team USA players take in Olympic experience - USA TODAY

By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY

Updated

LONDON - LeBron James is here to immerse himself in and enjoy the Olympic experience.

  • USA players Carmelo Anthony (left) , LeBron James (middle) and Kobe Bryant (right) talk during a press conference in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at the Main Press Center.

    By Kyle Terada, US Presswire

    USA players Carmelo Anthony (left) , LeBron James (middle) and Kobe Bryant (right) talk during a press conference in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at the Main Press Center.

By Kyle Terada, US Presswire

USA players Carmelo Anthony (left) , LeBron James (middle) and Kobe Bryant (right) talk during a press conference in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at the Main Press Center.

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Though the U.S. men's basketball team is not staying in the athletes village, James and his teammates spent time there Thursday night.

"We want to be a part of the Olympics," James said. "To be in there with other Olympians, especially our U.S. Olympians, it was fun."

The U.S. begins defense of its 2008 gold medal against France at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday.

The men arrived on Thursday morning from Barcelona - where they beat Argentina Sunday and Spain Tuesday - and practiced Thursday afternoon at East London University. They went to the athletes village Thursday night and attended a packed news conference at the main press center early Friday afternoon.

Later Friday night, the men planned to walk in the Opening Ceremony, an event James anticipated with excitement.

"I'll be there," James said. "I'm looking forward to it. I love the opening ceremony - just being out there with all the countries and all the athletes and seeing the hosts put on a great show. In '08, it was amazing in Beijing. They outdid probably everyone who's ever been part of the Olympics. I'm looking forward to seeing what London has in store."

The U.S. men are rock stars at the Olympics, one reason they don't stay at the athletes village.

"Not staying there takes a little bit from our experience, but going there and meeting our counterparts from different sports and countries was pretty cool," Kevin Love said. "But to see the cafeteria, see where they stay in the dorms, that was very cool."

This team, as the 2008 men's players did, plans to attend events as spectators.

What does James want to see?

"Some of the same ones I saw last time," James said. "I want to see track and field, our men's and women's swimmers. Of course, I want to see our ladies national (basketball) team and maybe go see our women's soccer team as well. There's so many great things. Hopefully, our schedule permits it."

Forward Kevin Durant said he wants to see race walking, though he called it "speed walking."

Guard Deron Williams wants to see table tennis and volleyball and has plans to take his daughter Danae to gymnastics.

Forward Carmelo Anthony ran into U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps in the athletes village Thursday. "We talked for a minute. I'll probably check him out Saturday. He's swimming all day. I'm going check out boxing, some field hockey, maybe some soccer. I want to go check out the U.S. handball team. Some of the handball athletes came to our practice. We've been talking. Right now, it's just about the support system that we have for one another."

It's the first Olympics for Love, and he is taking the advice of Kobe Bryant.

"Kobe said Michael Phelps in the pool is an unbelievable thing to watch. I want to see Lolo Jones. I'd like to see gymnastics. I grew up watching gymnastics. I was a friend with a lot of the girls on the UCLA gymnastics team. Then there the different sports, like archery, trampoline and handball. Just the sports you would never see in the States that I'd love to see here."

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