Michael Phelps’ goggles are getting around

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BEIJING -- If the basketball competition is assuming an old pattern, with the U.S. dominating and attention shifting elsewhere, the U.S. players, superstars all, are still the lives of this party.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Jason Kidd went to see Michael Phelps win the 200-meter butterfly, the race in which his goggles leaked. Monday night Phelps and about 20 members of the U.S. swim team returned the favor, attending the 106-57 rout of Germany.

Invited to the dressing room afterward, Phelps gave the players a pair of goggles. Dwight Howard wore them to the interview room.

“I told him [Phelps] I was going to do the 100-meter medley next year,’ Howard said.

Said Phelps: “When we’re swimming and we look up and see these guys, it’s awesome to see them in the stands. We were all so excited, it was like we can’t lose in front of these guys, we’re not losing a single race in front of these guys.

“Just being able to sit in here and hang out with these guys, it’s cool to sit in here. These are the guys I’m always watching on TV.”

Of course, the basketball players shared the goggles as they’ve shared the ball. LeBron James took his turn with them in the mixed zone.

“He made history as one of the best swimmers ever,” said Carmelo Anthony, like Phelps a native of Baltimore, “so for us to be a part of that and be here with him, we just felt good about it.”

--Mark Heisler