Boogie Cousins is shockingly denied Team USA’s flag-bearer role

Good morning. We have that and more in Wednesday’s NBA newsletter.

Aug 3, 2016, 12:09 PM UTC

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

READY FOR RIO: The Rio Olympics begin Friday with the Opening Ceremonies, and the first men's basketball games are Saturday. Here's a list of every NBA player who is on a non-USA team or who has withdrawn. And here's Jesus Gomez decoding whether a team of the very best players from the 11 non-USA teams in the Olympics would beat Team USA.

RED, WHITE AND BRONZE: NBC Sports hits us with an oral history of the disastrous 2004 U.S. men’s basketball team and the rebirth of the program.

A MINOR OUTRAGE: The USOC has announced Michael Phelps will be the flag bearer for the United States in the Opening Ceremonies. Y’all, Boogie Cousins was right there for the taking, and you went with Phelps? Shameful. Absolutely shameful.

THE 1-PERSON OLYMPICS: Rodger Sherman has an intriguing idea: each country selects one male and one female athlete to compete in all events solo at the Olympics. He likes LeBron. I again suggest Boogie Cousins.

RULE 50: Carmelo Anthony talks about the legacy of protest at the Olympics and makes it clear he knows the stakes.

COLLABORATION: Charles Grantham, the first executive director of NBA players’ union, tells a story of NBA stars coming together with David Stern in apartheid South Africa and implores Adam Silver to work with his players -- in both the NBA and WNBA -- to find opportunities where the league and unions can collaborate on promoting conversations about race in America.

RAIL THIN: Baxter Holmes with a deep dive on how skinny your boy Brandon Ingram is and how the Lakers will build his strength.

GREATNESS: Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman is moving to the Bay Area to cover the Warriors after a few years on the Thunder beat. So of course Enes Kanter hit him with the Photoshop burn.

See you Thursday. Be excellent to each other.