EXCLUSIVETeam USA basketball stars shun ‘woke’ Olympic village for luxury Paris hotel with stunning views of the Eiffel Tower… and longer beds for their huge frames | HO

Team USA basketball stars have shunned the Olympic Village and opted for a plush Paris hotel which has extra length beds that can accommodate their giant frames.

LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Britney Griner and Brianna Stewart are among the men’s and women’s hoop stars who have checked into the four-star Paris Marriott Opera Hotel.

Tight security has surrounded the art deco venue with both private guards and French Gendarmerie officers on patrol.

Police block traffic to allow the multi-millionaires to move freely between their hotel and the training base and even cyclists are blocked from using a cycle lane outside the hotel.

Every guest has their identity checked and NBA staff wear the association’s name tags to confirm they are legit with the word ‘Showcase.’

Team USA basketball stars have shunned the Olympic Village and opted for a plush Paris hotel

America’s men’s and women’s hoop stars have checked into the four-star Paris Marriott Opera Hotel (pictured)

The basketball entourage includes nannies with the children of the stars, admin and logistical staff.

Both teams have been playing the preliminary round matches in Lille, around 125 miles from the French capital before they play the final rounds at the Bercy Arena where Simone Biles struck triple gold in the gymnastics.

The venue has been converted from gymnastics to a basketball arena to help decide who wins Olympic gold in the sport.

The team hotel has been fully booked from July 25 until when the Olympics have ended next week.

USA basketball teams have not resided in the Olympic village since the 1992 men’s side – spearheaded by Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson – set a precedent by ditching it for a luxury hotel.

The village in Paris has drawn heavy criticism from athletes this summer for its ‘woke’ conditions – with each room containing cardboard beds and no air conditioning.

The food on offer to Olympians is also said to be 60 percent vegan amid aims to make it the most sustainable Games of all time.

Rooms at the hotel range in price from around $225 to $500 with more for select suites

The Olympic village, meanwhile, has drawn heavy criticism from athletes for its ‘woke’ conditions – with each room containing cardboard beds and no air conditioning

USA basketball stars are instead residing in rooms like these at the Paris Marriott Opera

The hotel has been fully booked from July 25 until when the Olympics have ended next week

LeBron James was spotted leaving the hotel on Monday morning ahead of Tuesday’s quarterfinal against Brazil

Women’s guard Diana Taurasi was also seen outside the Paris Marriott Opera Hotel

Men’s stars Bam Adebayo (left) and Tyrese Haliburton (right) could be seen exiting

Tight security has surrounded the art deco venue with both private guards and French Gendarmerie officers on patrol

At USA basketball’s four-star hotel, meanwhile, players are offered top notch French cuisine and bars serve up classic cocktails.

Some of the rooms offer landscape views of the Eiffel Tower from the eighth floor and others offer wi-fi, bottled water, bathrobes, slippers and Nespresso coffee machines.

Rooms range in price from around $225 to $500 with more for select suites.

Basketball fans told how they were excited to come face to face with their NBA heroes.

Stephanie Normand and her family were waiting outside the Team USA’s hotel in central Paris this morning.

Stephanie, 35, a social worker, said: ‘Our boy Noa is a big basketball fan so we thought we would try to see them.

‘My girls do the triathlon so we went to watch that event this morning and we decided to try to see the NBA players while they are here in Paris.’

Stephanie, from the Loir et Cher region outside Paris, was standing at the barrier erected by security at the hotel with her husband Stephane Haupais, 40, a sports center director, and their children Kyara, 10, Maelle, 10, Calie, 7 and Noa, 7.

Basketball fans told how they were excited to come face to face with their NBA heroes

Brittney Griner, pictured with wife Cherelle, has been residing at the luxury French hotel

The food on offer to Olympians in the village is also said to be 60 percent vegan this summer

USA basketball teams have not resided in the village since the 1992 men’s side – spearheaded by Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson – set a precedent by ditching it for a hotel

She added: ‘We are loving the Paris 2024 Olympics.

‘We live outside of Paris, but we are a sporty family and we wanted the children to see the sporting events and meete their sporting heroes.’

Christine, 52, told how she had come to get pictures of the NBA stars for her son Robert.

She said: ‘I work in the center of Paris so I thought I’d come to the hotel to see if I could take some photos for my son. He is a big basketball fan.’

Pascal, 32, from Normandy, had also come to central Paris to see his NBA heroes.

He said: ‘I really love basketball and of course the NBA stars are the best in the world. It’s great to be able to see my sporting heroes face to face.’

Jacque Lauren, 23, a trainee lawyer, said: ‘my offices are very near here when I saw the crowds and they told me who was here, I could not believe it.

‘I stay up all night sometimes to watch these guys play basketball in America and theycome to the doorstep of my home. I could not just walk by.’