Introduction
Reporter: There was the Dream Team (1992, Barcelona), and then there was the Redeem Team (2008, Beijing). What about this team? LeBron James’s answer: The Avengers. On the penultimate night before the end of the Paris Olympics, we witnessed a fantastic performance from the U.S. men’s basketball team.
Traditionally, Team USA boasts the title of the most successful team on the international stage, with five consecutive gold medals at the Olympics: 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, 2020 in Tokyo, and now the one they secured last night in Paris. The question is: Why did Team USA win the gold medal the previous night more special than the others?
OVERVIEW
Before the start of these Olympics, many doubted a repeat victory for the United States due to the significant rise in competition from other nations. France, for instance, boasts several NBA starters, including the talented young Victor Wembanyama (centre/power forward for the San Antonio Spurs), Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and others. Other gold medal contenders included Canada, which had a deep roster of talent and a third-place finish in the last World Cup, where they defeated the U.S. in the third-place game. Germany, the 2023 World Cup champion, and Serbia, the 2023 World Cup finalist, led by three-time NBA MVP and 2023 NBA champion Nikola Jokic, also posed significant challenges.
Steve Kerr, a legendary player and coach who has won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, was appointed head coach of Team USA. He was joined by top-level coaches such as Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) and Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers). To silence critics and reclaim an international title, these three, along with the entire USA staff, assembled the best of American basketball: LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), and Derrick White (Boston Celtics). With a combined 15 NBA championships among these 12 selected players, Team USA truly assembled the best of the best.
Journey to the Gold Medal
Despite the star-studded lineup, Team USA’s performances in the exhibition games leading up to the Olympics were winning but not convincing. However, important results started to emerge as the Olympics began. The U.S. team was placed in Group C alongside Serbia, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico. Team USA won all three group games, often with a margin of nearly 20 points.
In the quarterfinals, they faced Brazil, led by key player Bruno Caboclo. The game was never in doubt, with Team USA winning each quarter, largely thanks to a stellar performance from Anthony Davis. The semifinals pitted the U.S. against Serbia. Having already faced them in the group stage, Serbia put up a strong fight, particularly with top scorer Nikola Jokic.
The U.S. had to overcome a deficit of 61-76 with just 11 seconds left in the third quarter and eventually won 95-91 in what was described as one of the most heroic comebacks in Team USA history, spearheaded by a standout performance from Steph Curry, making his Olympic debut.
The final saw Team USA face the heavily favoured France, who had the advantage of playing on home soil. The U.S. dominated the first two quarters, but France won the third quarter and seemed poised to challenge. However, the French team could not withstand the strength and talent of the Americans. Steph Curry sealed the victory with four consecutive three-pointers in the final moments, putting the game out of reach and ending the final with a score of 87-98. Team USA once again claimed the top spot on the world stage.
Conclusion
With this victory at the Olympics and his subsequent MVP nomination, superstar LeBron James has every accolade imaginable in his career. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant has made history as the player with the most gold medals for men’s basketball history. Our generation has been incredibly fortunate to witness such a talented Team USA, aptly described by LeBron James as “the Avengers.”
Image Credit: Deposit Photos
