'Olympic gold the peak alongside NBA championship'

Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton, who is in the men's US squad, was the NBA assists leader for the 2023-24 season

Tyrese Haliburton has put the prospect of winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics on a par with winning the NBA championship.

Haliburton, 24, is part of Team USA's men's side for the Olympic Games later this month.

While there is no bigger prize domestically than winning the NBA championship, the prospect of earning an Olympic gold medal is one that the Indiana Pacers point guard considers comparable.

"I think winning a gold medal is top of the sport," Haliburton told BBC Sport.

"I think that and the NBA championship. I don’t think anything you can do individually can trump those.

"Winning is the peak of the sport and winning a gold medal is right at the top of it."

The USA men's side have won Olympic gold 16 times in the traditional 5x5 event, including at each of the four previous Games.

Steph Curry (left) and Steve Kerr (right) on Team USA duty, with Kerr also being Curry's coach at the Golden State Warriors

'I can't wait to play in London' - Kerr

USA coach Steve Kerr has managed to call on a number of big stars for his 12-man Olympics roster, including Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry. Between them, the trio have been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player seven times.

All of Team USA's players have all either been named NBA MVP, have won the NBA championship or featured in at least one All-Star game.

Ahead of the Games, Team USA have already beaten Canada, Australia and Serbia in friendlies in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.

They now head to London for a double-header of warm-up matches against South Sudan (20 July) and Germany (22 July), with their first match in Paris taking place six days later against Serbia.

Kerr, a nine-time NBA champion as a player and coach, is relishing the trip to London.

"I believe our team is very excited about our two games in London," Kerr told BBC Sport.

"I have got family there, so I can't wait to play there.

"I think everyone is really excited about not just the Olympics, but the lead-up as well."

For Kerr, the trips to Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi and now London have also given him and his squad a chance to bond. Many of his selection had never played together prior to the start of their preparations.

In competitions away from the Olympics, such as the Fiba World Cup and Fiba AmeriCup, Kerr and Team USA are often making several changes between camps.

The Olympics give Kerr an extended chance to develop strong relationships in the squad.

"This is a very unique experience. The NBA season is a marathon and Fiba is more of a sprint, especially for Team USA," said Kerr.

"We generally have a different team every summer, whereas a lot of the teams we are playing against, they have the continuity that comes with having a very similar roster year after year.

"Our strength is the depth of talent we have in this country but one of the many challenges that we face in Fiba.

"We have to try and mould the team quickly. That comes via both practice but also with travel and bonding and with the experience of flying overseas and playing in different venues, different cultures."

Las Vegas Aces' A'Ja Wilson (left) and New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart (right) are among the star names in Team USA's women's side

Team USA target eighth straight women's gold as Clark stays home

The US will be hoping for gold medals in both the men's and women's 5x5 events, with the women aiming to win gold for an eighth straight Olympics.

Like the men, the women are heading to London. They have a friendly there against Germany on 23 July, with Germany competing at their first Olympics this month in women's 5x5 basketball.

Team USA's 12-woman squad includes Las Vegas Aces power forward A'ja Wilson and New York Liberty power forward Breanna Stewart, the last two WNBA MVP winners.

One player who is not in the US women's Olympic squad is Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark. Clark had been called up to a 14-player practice squad in March, despite still being a college player at the time, but was left out of the final squad of 12.

Clark has broken a number of records during her first months as a WNBA player, including becoming the first player to provide 19 assists in a WNBA match during the Fever's defeat to Dallas Wings on Wednesday night.

At Paris, the US women have been drawn in a group with Japan, Belgium and Germany.

Team USA's Olympic squads and fixtures

Full men's squad: Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Men's fixtures: Friendlies - USA v South Sudan (20 July, London), USA v Germany (22 July, London)

Olympics - USA v Serbia (28 July, Lille), USA v South Sudan (31 July, Lille), USA v Puerto Rico (3 August)

Full women's squad: Jewell Lloyd (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)

Women's fixtures: Friendly - USA v Germany (23 July, London)

Olympics - USA v Japan (29 July, Lille), USA v Belgium (1 August, Lille), USA v Germany (4 August, London)