Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has said the United States basketball team has Kobe Bryant's DNA embedded in it and will look to honour the Los Angeles Lakers great with their play during this year's Tokyo Olympics.
Bryant, a five-times NBA champion and twice Olympic gold medal winner, died last year age 41 in a helicopter crash with his daughter and seven others, shocking the world of sport and sending legions of fans into mourning.
Durant, who was the team's leading scorer at both the 2016 Rio Games and 2012 London Games, leads a 12-member US squad looking to claim their 16th gold medal at the Olympics which begin on July 23.
"Kobe Bryant is the guy all of us looked up to and watched as kids. Even when he was alive and playing, his DNA was embedded in us as players. From afar he taught us what the game is about, what work ethic is about," Durant told reporters.
"And we all kind of pulled from him when he was playing and when he was alive. And now that he's not with us, we all want to honour his teachings by going out there and playing with that passion, with that energy every single play."
On Thursday, organisers decided the Olympics would take place without spectators as a resurgent coronavirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games.
"I was definitely disappointed once I heard that, but I understand ... we already pushed the games back a year, so we don't want to cause more trouble with Covid," Durant said.
"... That's going to be the part that's going to sting a bit, but it's still an honour and pleasure to represent your country and to do it on a big stage."
The US team will open preliminary round play on July 25 against France.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The specs: Macan Turbo
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FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
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Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
