2004 was a bittersweet time for Team USA members. While they were given the privilege to play for the country in the beautiful city of Athens, they failed to meet expectations and brought home just the bronze medal.
However, the players still had some memorable experiences from the trip to Greece, including getting to mingle with other athletes in the Olympic Village. Interestingly, they weren't allowed to do that after being housed on a ship, the Queen Mary 2. Carmelo Anthony let it slip, though, that he violated team rules to party at the Village.
"I went to the Village and mingled," Melo said while discussing his experience in the Athens Games . "I wasn't supposed to. I just let that out the bag. We wasn't supposed to leave the boat. Leaving the boat was like you get suspended a game. Larry Brown had it like, 'You can't leave the boat.' I got trouble for leaving the boat."
Stuck in a boat
The three-time Olympic gold medalist has already shared his polarizing time in Greece, the highlight (or lowlight) of which involves having to stay in a cruise ship with Navy SEALs guarding them throughout the tournament.
However, it also limited the players' options during their free time, as coach Larry Brown supposedly disallowed them from getting off the ship. Funnily enough, that didn't stop them, particularly Anthony, from leaving and having some fun with other athletes.
Whether he got suspended for it is unclear. He missed just one contest throughout the competition, the U.S.'s loss to Argentina in the semifinals.
Related: Michael Jordan's sarcastic reply to being blamed for Isiah Thomas' Dream Team snub: "I would've selected my mother and sister"
A 20-year-old Melo just wanted to have fun
It was understandable for the former Denver Nuggets star to look for ways to entertain himself in Athens. After all, he had just turned 20 when Team USA took on the world in the 2004 Games and barely saw action on the floor.
There was even a chance he wouldn't have made the roster if the original choices had given their commitment to the national cause. Superstars like Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett opted out. Meanwhile, some standouts from the squad that competed in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas, including Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Ray Allen, didn't participate the following year for various reasons.
Still, the disappointing results for Melo and USA Basketball in 2004 turned out to be a wake-up call the international powerhouse needed because the following Olympics have seen it bring out most of its best weapons and take the games seriously. Of course, the players still rave it up, but they have accompanied that with wins and golds.
Related: "I had no idea what I was getting into" - LeBron James on playing in the 2004 Olympics
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