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Faster, Higher, Stronger, Richer: American basketball players rent luxury cruise ship to call home at Rio Olympics

Multi-millionaire members of the US Olympic basketball team have rented a massive luxury cruise ship to call their home while they compete at the Rio Olympics.

Super rich members of the 'Dream Team' are shirking the nightmare of the Olympic Village, still undergoing finishing touches in some areas and likely to remain "under construction" throughout the games in others.

Members of the women's team are also reported to be calling the cruise ship home.

In a country already concerned with security, 250 Brazilian federal agents have been dispatched to protect American basketballers and their rented luxury liner. Source: Reuters
In a country already concerned with security, 250 Brazilian federal agents have been dispatched to protect American basketballers and their rented luxury liner. Source: Reuters
Wealthy Australian athlete Andrew Bogut assembles his own stuff at the Olympics. Source: Twitter
Wealthy Australian athlete Andrew Bogut assembles his own stuff at the Olympics. Source: Twitter

Cruise liner Silver Cloud is moored in the Port of Rio, with NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving among others shifting their luxury cabins to the port side for better views, the Daily Mail reports.

Only metres from the boat's starboard side, busy crews work tirelessly to complete construction of Olympic venues – slowed all the more by their unattended toolboxes triggering security scares.

An NBA player will call this home during the games. Source: Silversea
An NBA player will call this home during the games. Source: Silversea
There will be parties, most likely. Source: Silversea
There will be parties, most likely. Source: Silversea

The boat is cordoned off, with police on sea and land patrolling the area, armed and ready to ensure the superstars' safety.

A security barrier boasting bulletproof glass surrounds the mooring, with 250 of Brazil's federal police officers in sentinel in front of that.

"Nobody can get near the boat without invitation," one security official told the Mail.

This room has books in it and likely to go unused by many athletes. Source: Silversea
This room has books in it and likely to go unused by many athletes. Source: Silversea
A nice sun deck. Source: Silversea
A nice sun deck. Source: Silversea

Their poorer fellow Olympians meanwhile have to endure the sorry state of the Olympic Village dwellings, which includes breaking lifts, broken tiles, poor lighting and thievery.

Typically Olympians have to share their rooms, but the NBA stars can enjoy sun decks, gambling facilities and large comfy beds in their own private rooms.

Unlike his American colleagues, fellow NBA player and member of the Australian Olympic team Andrew Bogut will be living in more humble digs with his fellow Australians.

The Dallas Mavericks player, reported to be Australia's richest sportsman with a worth of $16 million, posted a crestfallen photo of himself assembling his own shower curtain at the Olympic Village.

A gambling den on the boat.
A gambling den on the boat.
Meanwhile in the Olympic Village, NBA stars Matthew Dellavedova (right) of the championship winning Cleavland Cavaliers and Ryan Broekhoff of the Milwaukee Bucks bunking together. Source: Twitter
Meanwhile in the Olympic Village, NBA stars Matthew Dellavedova (right) of the championship winning Cleavland Cavaliers and Ryan Broekhoff of the Milwaukee Bucks bunking together. Source: Twitter

"Putting together a shower curtain so we can shower and not flood the place," he wrote with a pic of the assemblage.

"IOC Luxury Lodging."

Having spent the week dealing with actual problems in the village, Australia's chef de mission Kitty Chiller shot down the 31-year-old's cheek with some equally Aussie banter of her own.

The Olympic Village. What a mess.
The Olympic Village. What a mess.
Be sure to wear shoes in case of broken glass and porcelain.
Be sure to wear shoes in case of broken glass and porcelain.

"I think he's the best man to fix the shower curtain because he's exactly the right height, and I'm going to call on him to come to my room straight after this press conference," she said.

Chiller also allayed concerns the string-bean b-baller's legs and feet might over shoot the length of the bed.

"He's got a big bed. He has a lovely mosquito net over it as well. He's like a princess in his bed," she said.

Alone, the sports related costs of the Rio Olympics have already been estimated to be $5.4 billion, officials said.

The average monthly wage in Brazil is estimated to be just shy of $800, according to Trending Economics and there were around 10.4 million people in 2013 living below the poverty line – less than $2 a day – according to World Bank data.