Olympics Overview: Basketball

— -- The Facts

WHERE: The Dome and SuperDome, Sydney Olympic Park.

WHEN: Sept. 16-Oct. 1.

MEDALS: Men’s and women’s team competition.

OUTLOOK: The United States easily won the men’s competition thelast two Olympics with NBA players and should do the same inSydney.

The Americans have captured the gold medal in everyOlympics they have competed except for 1972 and 1988 when theSoviet Union won. Croatia, Lithuania and Yugoslavia all feature NBAplayers, too.

For the first time, the U.S. women’s team will truly be a team.Eleven of its 12 members played on the national team selected inMay 1995, and the group spent the last eight months touring theworld, compiling a 51-0 record.

Russia, Brazil and China figure to be the best of the rest.

Who to Watch

Lisa Leslie, USA: Leading scorer on 1996 Olympic gold medal team. Also led allscorers on Team USA’s 31-game exhibition tour last fall and winter.Stands 6-foot-5 and led Los Angeles Sparks to best regular-seasonrecord in WNBA this season.

Sheryl Swoopes, USA: No. 3 scorer on ’96 Olympic gold medal team. Considered passing on Olympics to spend more time with her son, Jordan. Helped HoustonComets win four straight WNBA championships. League MVP andleading scorer this season. Top vote-getter in WNBA All-Star game.

Alonzo Mourning, USA: NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year the past two seasons is the only true center on the U.S. roster and will have the toughestassignments — guarding Australia’s Luc Longley, among others.Averaged 21.7 points last season, with 9.5 rebounds and 3.72blocks.

Vince Carter, USA: Emerged as one of the NBA’s superstars last season. Winner of the All-Star slam-dunk contest. Averaged 25.7 points and led theToronto Raptors to their first playoff appearance in franchisehistory.