First there was the “Dream Team” of Barcelona 1992. Then came the “Redeem Team” at Beijing 2008. This summer, for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, USA Basketball is sending “The Avengers.”
The team name is apt, as the powerhouse squad full of NBA champions, MVPs, and Olympic gold medalists has been assembled to put Team USA back on top of the international pedestal after a disappointing performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup (the USA finished fourth, losing to Canada in the bronze medal game).
With LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry leading the charge, Team USA are once again the heavy favorites to win a fifth consecutive (and 16th overall) men’s Olympic basketball gold medal.
But as the World Cup showed (not to mention an almighty scare against South Sudan in their final exhibition game before Paris), the path to the Olympic title is anything but a foregone conclusion.
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LeBron James, 2024 USA Basketball Showcase match between USA and South Sudan
Picture by Henry Browne/Getty Images
USA’S KEY NUMBERS
World Ranking: 1st
Olympic Games
Appearances: 19.
Medals: Gold (1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), Silver (1972), Bronze (1988, 2004).
FIBA World Cup
Appearances: 19.
Medals: Gold (1954, 1986, 1994, 2010, 2014), Silver (1950, 1959, 1982), Bronze (1974, 1990, 1998, 2006).
FIBA AmeriCup
Appearances: 10.
Medals: Gold (1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2017), Silver (1989), Bronze (2022).
LEBRON JAMES HEADLINES WEALTH OF TALENT FOR TEAM USA
Team USA has, on paper, the most talented roster at Paris 2024.
The squad boasts a combined 11 Olympic appearances and owns 10 Olympic gold medals as well as three FIBA World Cup titles. In total, the U.S. will take 12 NBA All-Stars, four NBA MVPs and six NBA champions to Paris.
One can argue that the 2024 Olympic team is the best assembled since the fabled Dream Team of Barcelona 1992 — and that’s no accident.
In the months following the USA’s surprising fourth-place finish at the World Cup, USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill began formulating plans for a team that could put the USA back on top, a squad spearheaded by James, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar may not be the supreme athlete he was in 2008 or even 2012 (when he helped the USA win gold in Beijing and London, respectively), but at 39 years old the ‘King’ is still an intimidating physical presence with elite passing and scoring skills. In the 2023-24 NBA season, James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists while shooting 54 percent from the field — historic numbers for someone in their 21st year in the league.
Of course, James isn’t the only player on the USA who can score, pass and defend. But he is one of the most experienced players and will serve as the team’s leader, both on and off the court. His impact in both areas could mean the difference between gold, silver, bronze, or even a non-podium finish.
CURRY READY FOR OLYMPIC DEBUT, DURANT TO MAKE HISTORY?
Curry, a four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP, will play in his first Olympics when he steps on the court at Paris 2024. The Golden State Warriors’ point guard has previously represented the USA in international competition at the FIBA World Cup (winning two gold medals) and was expected to play at the Rio 2016 Games but withdrew due to knee and ankle injuries.
Like James, Curry is starting to show his age somewhat, but the 36-year-old is still one of the best shooters in all of basketball (as evidenced by his 24.8 points per game and 40.8 three-point shooting percentages last year) and has the capacity to fire his team to victory, should they need it.
Durant set the record for most points scored in USA men’s Olympic history at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, surpassing Carmelo Anthony’s previous record of 336. Durant, aged 35, now sits on 435 points, and the Phoenix Suns’ star could achieve more history at Paris 2024 by breaking a tie with Anthony for the most gold medals— 4 —won by a male basketball player at the Olympic Games.
The obvious question surrounding James, Curry, and Durant (as well as the rest of the team) is straightforward: can all of these superstars mesh on the court?
The USA are still ironing out the kinks in that regard, with South Sudan (ranked 33rd in the world) almost causing a monumental upset in an exhibition game on Saturday, 20 July. Given the immense competition level across all 12 teams in the tournament, the USA won’t be able to rely on star power alone to win the gold.
That is the challenge that James, his teammates, and head coach Steve Kerr must navigate in Paris.
USA’S GROUP AT PARIS 2024
The USA has been drawn into Group C along with South Sudan, Puerto Rico and 2023 World Cup silver medalists Serbia.
USA group phase games
vs Serbia (28 July)
vs South Sudan (31 July)
vs Puerto Rico (3 August)
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