Basketball star Anthony Edwards supports table tennis team after challenging them in viral video
Anthony Edwards, one of the emerging stars in the NBA, is in Paris with Team USA hoping to help the men’s basketball squad win its fifth-consecutive Olympic gold medal. But he’s also got his eye on another sport.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard was in the crowd when fellow American Lily Zhang defeated Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi in table tennis on Monday. After Zhang won a point in the match, a camera captured Edwards standing and cheering.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” he could be seen saying.
Edwards was on hand at the match after teammate Stephen Curry introduced him to several members of the table tennis team during the opening ceremony.
Paris under alerts for extreme heat and thunderstorms
A heat wave has descended over the Olympic Games, with temperatures in Paris expected to hit 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) or higher on Tuesday.
Paris and its surrounding areas remain under a “yellow alert” for extreme heat, the second of four alert levels. Heat index values (which represent what conditions “feel like” with humidity) of 110 degrees F (43 degrees C) are possible in some places.
The heat wave is expected to be more intense in Southern France, including in spots where Olympic soccer and sailing events are happening.
France’s meteorological service also put in place an alert for major thunderstorms, which are expected to bring heavy rain and lightning to Paris on Tuesday evening.
The combination of soaring heat and evening thunderstorms may throw a wrench in several of the day's events, including beach volleyball, soccer and equestrian.
After Tuesday, temperatures are expected to hover in the mid-80s (around 30 degrees C) for the remainder of the week.
Fencer Lee Kiefer on her second gold medal win
Kiefer, who won back-to-back gold medals in foil fencing on Sunday, chats with NBC News Now's Steven Romo about how she feels post-win, and how she's prepping for the team foil event that begins Thursday.
French supporting women's rugby
French fans filled Stade de France on a blistering Tuesday afternoon, even if their rugby sevens team was out of medal contention and only playing in the consolation bracket.
With that full voice behind them, the French women rallied for a 19-7 victory over Ireland and will play tonight for fifth place.
The United States plays New Zealand in the semifinals shortly, with the winner going to the gold medal match.
U.S. men’s gymnastics team discusses its camaraderie: 'We just wanted to compete for each other'
Brody Malone, Asher Hong and Stephen Nedoroscik spoke to Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb after winning bronze yesterday, the first U.S. men’s gymnastics team medal in 16 years.
“This is something we’ve worked for our entire careers” Malone said.
Asked about the team’s obvious camaraderie, Hong credited the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its team ethos. “We just wanted to compete for each other, and have a lot of fun with each other.”
The team makes a point of not watching the other teams perform and not following the scores so that they can completely focus on their own performance, Malone told the "TODAY" anchors.
Nedoroscik, who wears glasses, said he had seen the memes on social media that compare him with Superman’s Clark Kent. “I think they’re awesome — I’m representing people that wear glasses!”
The 25-year-old removes his glasses just before he competes, and says that when he goes up on the pommel horse “it’s all about feeling the equipment. I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands, I can feel everything.”
Nedoroscik also revealed that he likes to solve a Rubik’s cube to relieve the pressure of competition, solving it in 9½ seconds ahead of yesterday's medal-winning performances.
Paul Juda and Frederick Richard were also part of the team that secured bronze last night.
Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina catches some air
After getting a huge wave at the surfing competition in Tahiti, Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina looks like he’s having a bit of a transcendent moment.
Medina was in the 5th heat of the men’s surfing round 3 yesterday.
Tennis: Gauff crashes out
Coco Gauff lost in a stunning upset to Croatian Donna Vekic in straight sets in the third round.
While she is still set for doubles competition, the world No. 2 lost a closely fought match that was delayed as Gauff argued what she said was an erroneous call.
Now that's what we call convenience
We just arrived at the Aquatics Centre and they sell swimsuits — from a vending machine. For those curious, women’s suits are 16 euros and men’s 14 euros.
Tennis: Gauff, down 2-4 in second set, starts arguing with umpire
American tennis star Coco Gauff couldn't catch a break as she trails Croatian Donna Vekic 2 games to 4 in the second set.
Gauff, the No. 2 player in the world, already lost the first set in a fiercely fought round of games that saw her give up a breakpoint.
She now risks crashing out in the third round.
As she fell behind, she delayed the match for almost 10 minutes as she went to argue a close call.
"I feel like I'm getting cheated on constantly in this game," she said.
Rugby: America has chance for medal for first time in century
When the U.S. women beat Great Britain yesterday, it guaranteed the Americans a chance to play for a medal today.
The last time the United States won a medal in rugby was when the men’s team won gold at the 1924 Paris Games. Women’s rugby made its Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games.
The U.S. is set for semifinal showdown today vs. New Zealand at 9:30 a.m. ET.