The United States men's basketball team started their training camp in Las Vegas on Monday (18 July) ahead of next month's Rio Olympics.

SOUNDBITE (English): Mike Krzyzewski, US Olympic Men's Basketball Coach: (Question: What are going to be the challenges for this US team?)

"Well the challenges are always the same and that is that we're expected to win. And so whoever we play against there's not the pressure on them, there's not like you have to do this. And we have to make sure that we never play with that pressure that we have to do it, but rather that we play with the pressure of wanting to do great, and there's a significant difference in that. For the last four competitions we've been able to do that. Hopefully we'll be able to do that again."

SOUNDBITE (English): Kyrie Iving, US Olympic Men's Basketball Guard:

"All that competition that we had during the season and the pride of playing for our respective organisations in our cities goes kind of out the window representing something bigger than all of us. It's our country so, for me, I just relish an opportunity of having a guy like a Klay Thompson, you know a K.D. (Kevin Durant) just all on one team and Draymond (Green) all on one team. And I know those guys are going to compete as hard as ever so I'm looking forward to it."

SOUNDBITE (English): Draymond Green, US Olympic Men's Basketball Forward: (Question: Do you think this camp is a good way for you guys to bond together before you head out to Rio?)

"Absolutely, I mean, you look at these teams that we're going to be going up against. A lot of these guys have been together for seven, eight, nine, ten years. We've been together now for not even 24 hours. So it's something that we definitely will use to build, having dinner together and all that type of stuff. The chemistry that they build over the course of all those years we have to build in a month. And it's not the easiest thing to do but it's been proven that it can be done and we're looking forward to doing it."

SOUNDBITE (English): Kevin Durant, US Olympic Men's Basketball Forward:

"When you have a mutual respect for each other it's kind of easy to get together and bond, especially when you're competing against all these guys. So it's just a matter of you getting in front of them. And I've had guys that I didn't know in 2012 and they're my really good friends now. But just having that mutual respect. I think that's what makes the friendship come together a little easier."