The United States men’s basketball team came to Paris with just one goal in mind: win gold. The team is highlighted by 12 athletes with extensive USA Basketball experience including three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), who owns a pair of Olympic gold medals. In addition to Durant and James, the 2024 USA Men’s National Team features Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).
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. The team was selected by USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
“It’s an honor to introduce the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team,” Hill said. “I’m grateful to these 12 men for their commitment to represent USA Basketball. The United States is home to some of the best basketball players in the world and I appreciate the vast interest in being part of this roster. These decisions weren’t easy, but it was a pleasure to go through the process and reach this outcome.
“We have the utmost respect for the level of competition we will face this summer. The Olympics represent the pinnacle of sport and the world will be watching the USA as we play in the toughest basketball tournament in history.”
Durant, who is also a 2010 World Cup gold medalist, is the USA’s all-time Olympic statistical leader in total points (435), scoring average (19.8 ppg), field goals (146), 3-point field goals (74) and free throws (69). He ranks third in rebounds (118) and blocks (16) and fourth in games played (24) and assists (71).
James, who has scored 273 points (3rd all-time among Americans) in the Olympics, will compete in his fourth Games and first since 2012. He won gold in 2008 and 2012 and made his Olympics debut in 2004 (bronze). James also owns a 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas gold medal.
Adebayo (2020), Booker (2020), Davis (2012), Holiday (2020) and Tatum (2020) have won Olympic gold medals and are part of a group that has gone 34-4 in Olympic competition since James’ debut in 2004.
Curry is a two-time World Cup champion (2010, 2014) and will make his Olympic debut this summer. He is one of six players who has competed at the World Cup, including Davis (2014), Durant (2010), Edwards (2023), Haliburton (2023), James (2006) and Tatum (2019). Of the seven World Cup participants, three (Curry; Davis, 2014; Durant, 2010) have also won gold and two (Edwards, 2023; Durant, 2010) have taken home All-Star Five honors. Edwards and Haliburton competed at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Manila, helping to secure the United States’ Olympic bid.
Embiid and Leonard will make their USA Basketball national team debuts when the United States hosts Canada on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to open the USA Basketball Showcase.
The 2024 USA Men’s National Team will be led by head coach Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), who is assisted by Mark Few (Gonzaga University), Tyronn Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat). Last summer, the quartet coached the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Manila.
“My staff and I are honored to coach this amazing group of players in our quest to win Olympic gold in Paris,” Kerr said. “We plan to represent USA Basketball with the utmost class and we hope to make our country proud.” They did just that,
defeating host nation France in the final game, driven by a star performance from Steph Curry, who was competing in his first Olympics and now has a gold medal to complement the host of NBA championships and MVP awards in his trophy cabinet. The run to gold wasn’t without its moments of uncertainty, as the U.S. needed a thrilling comeback win against Serbia to make it to the gold medal game. But in the end, the roster of NBA legends including Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant took care of business and gave U.S. fans what they’ve come to expect: another Olympic gold medal.
HPS Magazine 