It has become an Olympic tradition almost as ritualistic as the torch entering the stadium: on the eve of the games, the USA men’s basketball team takes a bow in the host city and its brightest and best look solemn and earnest as they acknowledge that the only way they can truly stun the public at these games is by not taking gold.

The USA basketball record stands at 130-5 in Olympic history and despite the absence of LeBron James and Steph Curry, the undisputed deities of contemporary basketball, this year’s vintage are more or less certain to win their final match.

The ignominious failure in Athens by a team of individualists steeled the resolve of US basketball not to fall short again. Carmelo Anthony is the lone link between that team and the 2016 squad and has spoken to his team-mates about the humiliation of that failure.

“He’s very open about it,” says Draymond Green, the robust forward with the Golden State Warriors who will make his Olympics debut when the USA meet China on Saturday evening. The accommodation “It is something we all talk about all the time. It is something you never forget. That was the first time I really understood what it was about playing for the country. I was 14 years old. And I remember it. . .”

Green’s long-time team -mate Andrew Bogut has spent the last few days criticising the state of the accommodation given to team Australia, cribbing about the size of the beds and the lack of shower curtains. The Americans know no such discomforts as they are sequestered on the Silver Cloud yacht, with a cordon of armed guards keeping prying vessels at a discreet distance. Klay Thompson, another of the Warriors’ players on the USA team, was asked about Bogut’s unhappiness.

“Yeah, well... I haven’t talked to him about it yet but, I mean, Andre has been spoiled. He has been in the NBA ten years and has probably been travelling as best you can. But when he gets out there on that court he will forget about it.”

The Americans believe in the authenticity of their ongoing domination of Olympic basketball: Mike Krzyzewski earns a salary of $10 million per year as head coach at Duke college team but is here for his third stint as national coach.

But equally, USA basketball uses this opportunity as a brilliant marketing exercise, giving media the kind of access to its players which would turn most inter-county GAA managers pale. For over 40 minutes, players like Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Harrison Barnes took up lone seats around a huge auditorium and happily spoke to whoever came their way.

The global explosion in basketball’s popularity through television rights has helped to make these athletes incredibly wealthy and well known. But they are conscious of their role within the sport.

“We know that there are great basketball players all over the world - over 20 per cent of the NBA is international now,” says Krzyzewski when asked to pit his team’s strengths against those of other countries.

“I coach. I don’t compare. Our thing is to prepare so we can play well and so you can compare. That is the philosophy we have taken over the last decade because it’s not our game, it is the world’s game. . . The game continues to advance as a result of all the talent around the world . . .”

In the absence of Curry and James, the gliding Kevin Durant (6ft 9 tall with a wingspan of 7ft) becomes the best -known player at these Olympics. When the team makes its customary visit to the athletes' village today, Durant will be in high demand for selfies with the other athletes.

Durant was at the centre of one of the most controversial trades in NBA history this summer when he shattered the faith of Oklahoma fans by opting to join the Golden State franchise for next season. So this trip to South America has come at the perfect time.

“It has been great, man. I just been on the bus riding around the city. I’ve never been here before. I’m just excited. I want to go see the Holy Redeemer. I was riding last night and it was pretty cool that it was so dark and it was lit up and it just felt like...Jesus was flyin’ over the city, man. It was sweet. So I can’t wait to go see it up close.”

Which sums up how a lot of people feel about watching Durant play.