The 2024 Olympics Has A Team USA Problem…

as we turn our eyes to the Paris 2024 Olympics there is a storm brewing over the basketball courts it's not just a battle for gold but for the very title of world champion world champion of what the United States and it all started with Noah ly the celebrated track and field star who boldly questioned the NBA's claim of its Champions being world champions his comment ignited a debate that echoed across the basketball Community you know the thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA finals and they have world champion on their head world champion of what the United States don't get me wrong I I love the us at times but that ain't the world that is not the world we are the world we have almost every country out here fighting thriving putting on they flag to show that they are represented this provocative statement quickly Drew reactions with basketball heavyweights like Kevin Durant stepping up to defend the integrity and Global nature of the NBA many Saw lyall's comments as naive given that the NBA is packed with the best International talent in team USA's collection of 16 Olympic gold medals now while Lyall might technically be correct his comments ignited a fire under Team USA the players are now more motivated than ever to prove themselves and silence any doubters their recent stumbles at the FBA basketball World Cups have only added fuel to this fire too leading LeBron James to summon his Avengers a group of elite players determined to reclaim their dominance on the global stage when the roster for Team USA was announced though for the World Cup eyebrows were raised about it particularly The Limited size and star power among the squad only four had been honored as NBA Allstars with Utah Jazz's Walker Kesler being the sole player naturally positioned at Center furthermore this was the first International outing for every member of the team leading many to doubt their potential to make a Deep Run in the tournament but despite these concerns the team showed some strength early on they swept through their exhibition matches with the perfect 5-0 record and continued their dominance through the first four games of the tournament however they encountered an obstacle when they faced Lithuania falling 104 to 110 in what was considered a significant upset nonetheless this didn't affect their Olympic Ambitions the team did secure their spot in the 2024 Olympics rebounding strongly Team USA demolished Italy with a score of to 63 advancing them into the semi-finals their Journey however met another hurdle against Germany where they narrowly lost 111 to 113 still a bronze medal was within reach as they faced off against Canada but the tension peaked in a dramatic moment when Mel Bridges grabbed an offense of rebound off his own missed free throw and sank a game tying three-pointer to push the game into overtime yet the extra period was challenging Team USA managed to only score seven points in overtime while Canada took control ultimately securing the bronze medal and leaving Team USA to reflect on what just happened for weeks The Narrative surrounding this team at the World Cup painted them as an unexpected success story despite a lineup filled with NBA Talent calling them underdogs wasn't quite right though they only boasted four combined All-Star appearances among them among the standout stories was Austin Reeves who undrafted just two years prior emerged as the team's second leading score averaging 13.8 points on an impressive 56.6 shooting the 2020 number one pick Anthony Edwards led the team in scoring however the team's vulnerability was its size struggling defensively due to their lack of height the NBA currently prioritizes centers that can stretch the floor and create space which means there just aren't a lot of American Born centers dominating the boards and Walker Kesler found a spot on the roster partly for the this reason despite the wealth of NBA Talent team USA's fourth place finish at the World Cup sparked debates over the NBA's Global dominance and talent and this result left many questioning whether the NBA Championship should truly be considered the crowning of the world champions in response to the World Cup's outcome there were Whispers of an Olympic super team being formed under the leadership of LeBron for the 2024 Paris games riding on the tide of these rumors LeBron rallied his top tier group The 2024 Olympics roster saw a significant overhaul with only Anthony Edwards and Tyrese halberton from the World Cup team making the cut they both performed well during the World Cup clearly demonstrating they weren't the reason behind Team USA's losses however it was evident that the seasoned veterans were not prepared to place their hopes for Olympic gold just on the shoulders of these younger players this year USA Basketball had been a powerhouse on the international stage since as far back back is 1936 boasting a record of 143 wins against only six losses and claiming 16 titles over the decades this illustrious history is highlighted by teams that are not just collections of talent but icons of the sport the Legacy began to take a modern shape with the 1992 USA basketball team though famously dubb the Dream Team this was the first Olympic Squad to include NBA players featuring Legends like Michael Jordan ORD Scotty Pippen Magic Johnson and Larry Bird their overwhelming dominance was pretty clear as they cruised to a gold medal with an undefeated 80 record setting a pretty high bar for every team that followed following a setback in 2004 the redeemed team was formed for the 2008 Summer Olympics with a roster including LeBron James Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony this team mirrored the success of the 1992 dream team going 8-0 to capture the gold now since that victory in 2008 the USA basketball team has successfully defended their title a streak they aim to continue at the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris and the current roster reads like a who's who of the basketball Elite LeBron James Stephen Curry Kevin Durant Anthony Davis Jason Tatum bam out of Bio Devin Booker Drew holiday Anthony Edwards Tyrese halberton Joel m and kawhai Leonard and this year the team features the oldest US Olympic men's basketball roster in history averaging 30 years and 9 months LeBron is also making a notable return to the Olympics having previously earned gold medals in 2008 and 2012 and a bronze in 2004 and for James the Paris Olympics could serve as a grand International finale as he approaches retirement if this team performs as it usually does imagine a summer fied with fine wine winning basketball and worldwide admiration an ideal situation for James plus his journey will likely be filmed for a future documentary another key figure is Kevin Durant a consistent High scorer KD has led the US in points per game at the last three Olympics in Tokyo he surpassed Carmelo Anthony's career Olympic scoring record for an American man now 436 points just 52 points behind Lisa Leslie's overall us record and to add extra motivation Durant has the opportunity to outdo Anthony's record of Olympic men's basketball gold medals and then we got Stephen Curry attending his first Olympics though he's no stranger to International success having been part of a gold medal winning feea World Cup team in 2010 and 2014 interestingly though the US team will be coached by his Warriors head coach Steven Kerr and adding a fresh narrative 2023 NBA MVP Joelle embiid originally from Cameroon was granted French and US citizenship in 2022 and despite having options MB chose to represent his adopted home in his debut at a major International Tournament he wrote on X I'm really proud and excited about this decision it was not easy I'm blessed to call Cameroon France and the USA home after talking to my family I knew it had to be Team USA I want to play with my Brothers in the league I want to play for my fans because they've been incredible since the day I came here but most of all I want to honor my son who was born in the US I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him kawhai Leonard a two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time defensive player of the year is also set for his senior International debut although he was part of the US select team in 2012 which practiced alongside the Olympic team following his rookies season Jason Tatum Devin Booker bam adabo and Drew holiday are all returning members of the Tokyo Olympic team Anthony Davis who was part of the 2012 Olympic team even before his NBA debut held the record as the youngest US Olympics men's player in history at that time reflecting on last Summer's World Cup it's notable that the team had no players with prior Olympic or World Cup experience Anthony Edwards and Tyrese halberton who were part of that roster are now making their Olympic debuts for Edwards particularly this Olympic serves as a crucial learning period a kind of internship in his young career this year's roster is stacked with decorated Champions this squad contains a collective of 11 Olympic appearances 10 gold medals and three FEA World Cup titles all together the US will bring 12 NBA All Stars four NBA MVPs and six NBA Champions to Paris making this team one of the most experienced and anticipated in Olympic history the lesson Stellar performance at the World Cup was a clear signal for Team USA they needed a bigger better and More Physical team to effectively compete against top International opponents this necessity will be tested from the get-go as the US men are set to face Serbia in their opening game a team led by none other than Nicole yic of the Denver Nuggets in response Anthony Davis and Joel embiid who's recovering from knee injury in February has been brought in to boost that front line offering a stronger presence than what was seen at the World Cup and on the perimeter Drew holiday and Kawhi Leonard who's coming off knee issues that sidelined them for the final games of the NBA season are expected to provide solid defense complimenting the team's deep scoring abilities now should health concerns prevent embiid Leonard or any other player from participating this team has prepared a comp apprehensive contingency plan for every position it's important to mention that the 12-man roster was chosen from a group of 41 candidates the appeal of the Olympics was pretty significant not just because of the national pride but also because of the chance to be a part of an event in one of the world's top cities which is sure to draw a lot of attention and provide great marketing opportunities among the notable players who didn't make the cut were Jimmy Butler Paul George James Harden Damen Lillard Donovan Mitchell and Chris Paul also left off the roster was Draymond Green who wasn't included in the initial pool and Kyrie Irving who's faced major suspensions in recent years Rising Stars like Paulo bonero Chad holgren and jiren Jackson Jr were edged out by the veteran heavy lineup and players like John Morant and Zion Williamson dealing with injuries were not considered even for the initial pool either under the seasoned guidance of Steve Kerr who plans to make his final bow as an Olympic coach and assisted by an All-Star coaching staff including Eric spola Tyron louu and Mark F the US team is ready not just to compete but to dominate with a roster that blends season Champions and hungry newcomers the question isn't just about winning gold but about reaffirming their status on the world stage the stage is set in group C where the US will encounter tough competitors including Serbia and South Dan along with one yet to be determined qualifier as heavy favorites team USA's journey in Paris is not just a quest for another gold medal it's about proving a point to the world and themselves can they live up to the legacy of the dream and redeem teams and will they silence the doubters who question the NBA's claim to Global dominance only time will tell all right that's it for this one let us know what you thought down in the comments don't forget to like subscribe and share the episode if you enjoyed ened it and we'll see you in the next one thanks for watching

Channel: Players Unlimited - Basketball

Views: 1,168,281

Keywords: Team USA

Id: yDOVz9yKbz4

Length: 13min 32sec (812 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 04 2024