Canberra basketballer Patty Mills would have preferred to beat Team USA for his birthday present, but he is closing in on another personal milestone at the Rio Olympic Games.

although Boomers still haven't beaten them, they are getting close enough to smell it

NBA superstar Paul George has described Australia as "dirty", while Kevin Durant believes it won't be the last time the US basketball team square off against the Boomers at the Rio Olympics.

"They feel like they can beat us but we feel they can't." Well, Mr Durant, it appears as though you were right - but not without one almighty scare from a Boomers team hellbent on causing the upset of the Olympics.

New Canberra Capitals signing Jazmon Gwathmey has wasted no time in sending a warning to the rest of the WNBL, saying she has only reached 55% of her full potential.

Melbourne basketballer Venky Jois believes he has landed in the best place to showcase his skills after signing with Estonian club Tartu Ulikool Rock.

Team USA can keep the private cruise ship because the only thing Canberra basketballer Patrick Mills wants for his birthday is to make Olympic Games history by chasing a medal.

The Opals turned the tables on their London Games captors to notch a vital win that should ensure they avoid the US until the gold medal match.

Melbourne United have signed a third import with former West Virginia Mountaineer Devin Williams signing for the coming season.

Not only is it the first time Australia have beaten Serbia at an Olympic Games, it's also the first time the Boomers have opened their campaign with back-to-back wins.

For the record, Liz Cambage wants to make it clear that Andrew Bogut hugged her, not the other way around. And she also thinks she could take him down in a game of one-on-one.

The peace-loving welcome of Rio's opening ceremony did not extend to the basketball court, where the Brazilian women's team and a feral home crowd double-teamed to stun Australia in their opening pool match on Saturday. Calling on all their experience, the Opals prevailed 84-66 after trailing at the first two breaks.

Given his various controversial utterances of late, Andrew Bogut might have tried to steer away from calling a group of men '"pricks" on Saturday.

The Boomers centre and NBA championship winner was in particularly fine form on the eve of Australia's first group game against France on Friday.

• EXCLUSIVE

Elizabeth Cambage has revealed how a 'blackface' controversy that saw her fall out with fellow Opal Alice Kunek has been resolved with a peace-making in the countdown to the Rio Olympics.

Melbourne's WNBL cross town derby will take centre stage this season after the release of the league's fixture on Friday.

Whenever the USA's men's basketball team speaks before an Olympics, everyone wants to listen.

Markelle Fultz scored 33 points as his touring Huskies lost in overtime to SEABL club Dandenong Rangers.

Difficult matches against France and Serbia stand in the way of the Australians before they meet America in the Olympic basketball tournament, while Kitty Chiller has laughed off Andrew Bogut's complaints about the Village.

In 193 WNBL games Sally Phillips starred in the WNBL and in the past two years she has worked at the coalface as commercial operations manager at Dandenong Rangers.

NBA superstars eschew Olympics village for a 196-cabin, bullet-shielded floating US embassy.

The Boomers' goal of winning Olympic gold in Rio is at best ambitious but potentially something that could blow up in their faces.

Adam Gibson says it's bizarre to be back in a Brisbane Bullets jersey after the returning NBL side's first training session in eight years.

The Australian men's basketball team look to have plenty of work to do if they are to secure a breakthrough Olympic Games medal after a 81-68 loss to Lithuania in Sao Paulo on Saturday.

Brazil have given Australia's male basketballers a hard dose of reality barely a week out from the Rio Olympics, beating them by 29 points in a warm-up game.

Four years ago the Olympics were the furtherest thing from Tessa Lavey's mind. Now she's going to Rio.

The Sydney Kings have lost Mirko Djeric from their 2016-17 NBL roster, with the 21-year-old requesting a release.

Lauren Jackson will be going to Rio – just in a different capacity.

Australia has a good chance to clinch gold in women's basketball at Rio, but unlikely to win any medals for racial tolerance, says Opals star.

Australia's male basketballers have shown promising signs less than a fortnight out from the Rio Olympics with an upset victory over world No.4 Argentina.

A discussion about #blacklivesmatter matter turned into a spat between two of Australian basketball's brightest stars and a high-profile rapper.

The Australian men's basketball team's first Olympic warm-up game in South America has been called off due to a leaking roof.

The well-documented violence of the last month has caused Michael Jordan to do something he doesn't usually do: Speak up and out on a social issue roiling the US.

WNBL games record holder Jess Bibby believes rival female sports leagues are being naive if they dismiss the women's AFL competition as a serious threat, adamant youngsters will be tempted by the opportunity.

Rachel Jarry treasures her second Olympics and a second chance at her Australian Opals career.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said the NBA's decision to move its 2017 All-Star game from Charlotte is "total P.C. BS."

• COMMENT

How would the Brumbies feel losing their stars only to find the ARU helping the Waratahs sign Jarryd Hayne?

US basketball's best join other high-profile North Carolina cancellations, including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Cirque de Soleil.

More than 20 US college coaches were on hand to cast their eye over 30 of Australia's best young basketballers in Canberra on Thursday.