American basketballers insist cruise ship lodgings for Rio are not what they are cracked up to be

AMERICAN NBA star Paul George insists his exclusive lodgings for the Rio Olympics on board a luxury cruise ship are not even at five-star standard.

IT is the luxury cruise ship housing America’s basketballers off Rio’s shores boasting 146 glorious suites and its own pool, bar, gym and butler service.

Yet American NBA star Paul George says his exclusive lodgings for the Rio Olympics are not even at five-star standard.

The cruise liner, surrounded by a bullet proof glass fence and guarded 24/7 by a fleet of police officers, has become one of Rio’s biggest talking points in the hours before the opening ceremony.

The American men’s and women’s teams will stay on the Silver Cloud for the fortnight as the only Olympic athletes to be housed away in such ritzy digs in Rio.

The Silver Cloud ‘is four-star, not five star’ accomodation.

While Aussie basketballer Andrew Bogut complained of having to assemble his own shower curtain, George and his teammates don’t have to lift a finger.

Asked by News Corp about the standard of lodgings, George was still far from impressed.

Perhaps he would have preferred the cold showers, the smell of gas and water dripping down walls that confronted many athletes when they arrived in Rio.

“It’s not what everyone makes it out to be. It’s different but it’s not a five-star cruise ship. It’s a nice cruise ship, but all we have is food, rooms and water,” he said.

“It’s about a four. It’s probably four. People think we are living lavish and luxurious lives on this ship, it’s not that.”

Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson was more effusive about the lodgings, which also come with a range of pillows including memory foam and buckwheat.

“It’s nice. It’s just like staying at a hotel. It’s got a meal room, our rooms, and we have got a game room so it’s not like we are cruising around on a vacation.

“It’s like a hotel but it’s nice. I like the balcony, you can get out and see the water and the scenery of Rio. Fortunately our sponsors took care of us and we are very thankful.”

America’s basketballers have not stayed in the Olympic village in the professional era, their last stint in the village in 1988.

It is not even their first time on a cruise ship, staying off shore at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Perhaps it is an omen for the Boomers, with Team USA shock losers in that tournament in a defeat that saw them mocked at home given their “Dream Team” moniker.

Porters helped carry the players’ luggage up to their rooms.

Thompson, who was a teammate of Bogut’s for several years, joked the Aussie big-man had been overly pampered in his NBA career.

“I haven’t talked to him about it yet but Andrew has been spoiled, he’s been in the NBA for 10 years, he has been travelling as best you can”

Centre DeAndre Jordan was thrilled with the service at the Silver Cloud as much as the pillow service.

“It’s comfortable. I’m tall so anything’s going to be a little weird for me,” he said.

“But they’re treating us with the utmost hospitality, so it’s been great.”

“It’s like a hotel,” point guard Kyle Lowry added.

“It’s a room, a place to stay. USAB has not been staying in the Village since ’92. It’s one of our sponsor’s boats. The food we’re getting is regular food, nothing crazy.”

Originally published as American basketballers insist cruise ship lodgings for Rio are not what they are cracked up to be