NBA All-Stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, arrived in Manchester with the United States basketball team that will compete in the London 2012 Olympics.
Bryant will be seeking a chance at winning a second consecutive Olympic gold medal and was also part of the team that became world champions in 2010 in Turkey.
"I have been excited about it, this going to be fun," said Bryant one day after the United States defeated Brazil 80-69 on Monday (July 16), in a game in Washington watched by the United States Barack Obama.
"We are in pretty good shape. We only played these two games, we still need to develop a rhythm but all in all we are doing pretty well," he said.
Asked if the 2012 team could be better than the famous 'Dream Team' of the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Bryant said: "No, I mean, inevitably when the USA has a team that we put in the Olympics, everybody makes the comparison, but they have been the greatest team ever."
LeBron James, who won the NBA season with the Miami Heat, scored 30 points as the home side came back from 10 points down to beat Brazil.
Bryant told reporters he liked soccer and supported Manchester United in England, Barcelona in Spain and Milan in Italy.
A total of 12 teams are competing in the Olympics. The United States is in Group A and will face Argentina, France, Lithuania, Nigeria and Tunisia.
"I think that its being in London and seeing the show that they are going to put on a good show for the Olympic Games, it is going to be very exciting," Kobe said.
USA will play Great Britain in a warm-up game on July 19 at the Manchester Arena. The Olympic basketball tournament will take place at the Basketball Arena inside the Olympic Park.