Tall order stopping American dream team
FRANCE'S FRANCHISE: Victor Wembanyama is hogging a lot of headlines - and billboards - i n Paris as the Fench look forwar to hunting down Team USA in the Olympic Games. Pic: Kirill Kudryavtsev, Getty Images
IT’S 20 years since Team USA failed to win Olympic gold in men’s basketball, their only loss since introducing professional players in 1992.
LeBron James is somehow a holdover from that 2004 team and this year’s edition of Team USA will once again be heavily favoured to win gold. Here’s a quick look at the players and storylines to watch out for in Paris.
USA didn’t medal at last year’s World Cup after losing to Germany in the semi-final and Canada in the third-place game. They have retooled with major star power including three-time Olympic gold medallist Kevin Durant and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James. The biggest controversy ahead of this year’s Games is the inclusion of former NBA MVP Joel Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers big man is from Cameroon and had originally declared that he would play for France before a late U-turn landed him on the tournament favourites.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has a nice mix of veterans like Steph Curry, James, and Durant, while rising superstar Anthony Edwards will be worth watching. The USA’s issue is always around chemistry and adapting to FIBA rules with a tighter court and more physical play allowed. Recent editions of Team USA overwhelmed opponents with their athleticism defensively and loved to get out on the break.
Against the best teams at the Olympics, it will be interesting to see if the Americans have the right personnel to do this or if they’ve held on to the old guard too long.
The home nation has the player most worth watching for those who don’t closely follow the NBA. Victor Wembanyama was recently voted the NBA Rookie of the Year and the 7’ 4” big man is a unique talent even in the world of NBA basketball, where incredible athletes are the norm. France has experienced guards too, so with home court advantage they should be the biggest threat to the USA. The worry for French fans will be whether they have enough scoring power to match up against the top teams and more critically, if Wembanyama and 7’ 2” Rudy Gobert can play alongside each other or will they get in each other’s way.
After Team USA, Canada has the most NBA star power to bank on with the backcourt of Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as potent as you can find. They have NBA players surrounding them and from pure talent levels they are as close to the Americans as the tournament offers. Like their neighbours, the Canadians sometimes struggle to adapt to FIBA rules, and they have yet to deliver fully on the international stage. In that World Cup they struggled to defend at a high level, if they can do that in Paris, they have the stars to score when needed.
With arguably the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic on their roster, Serbia has a great chance, and they have already easily beaten France in the warmup games. They have basketball in their DNA and will play together more effectively than any other team. Jokic is probably better in the NBA where he has more space to operate but he will still have a major impact. If Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks) and Vaisilije Micic (Charlotte Hornets) play well, Serbia will be in the mix. Watch out for their opener against Team USA on Sunday at 4.15pm. It will provide a reliable barometer.
Back in the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, Greece have former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his presence alone will make them competitive. Greece have the pedigree to challenge the top teams but it’s hard to see them having enough to get past the top contenders.
The World Cup champions Germany have a great squad and are fearless. They don’t have the same depth as others, but they’ve beaten the USA twice in the past year and will believe they can medal here. Spain recently qualified too and with their history of tournament success, don’t be surprised to see them in medal contention.
Overall, we can expect a US gold medal but it’s not as much of a foregone conclusion as many other Games. Whether Victor Wembayana is ready for the biggest stage at just 20 years old could be a deciding factor in who takes home gold.
The women’s tournament, like the past seven, seems a foregone conclusion with the Americans heavily favoured to win again. Team USA beat China in the last Olympic final by 22 and if anyone pushes them close this time, it will be a major shock.
The only discussion point to date has been on the Team USA roster compilation. Caitlin Clark has been a major factor in the rapid increase in viewership figures and interest in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever rookie wasn’t selected, with the Americans favouring more established stars like Diana Taurasi, who is looking for her sixth Olympic gold in what has been an incredible career. It was probably the right basketball decision although Team USA likely could have chosen a second team who would still win Gold.
For those watching for the first time, keep an eye out for A’ja Wilson (the 6’5 former WNBA MVP) and Breanna Stewart, another former MVP who has one of the most successful resumes you’ll find in any sport. If anyone is to challenge the States, look to China or Europe’s top contenders of Belgium, Spain or France. The gulf is massive though so the question for the Women’s tournament will not likely be who wins but rather by how much.
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