The Gold Medal Game That Had All the Headlines and Ended with a BANG!
- Brennan Valladares
- Aug 13, 2024
- 6 min read
A blockbuster event, USA versus France had all the hype and ended with a reminiscent Stephen Curry barrage.
Saturday afternoon's men's gold medal basketball game was straight out of a movie. It's as if the story, the actors, and the setting were all thoughtfully written and chosen by a director gunning for another Oscar nomination. If this game was deemed "the most anticipated matchup of the summer" we left the theater looking for two more hours of action after two hours of action. A blockbuster event, USA versus France had all the hype and ended with a reminiscent Stephen Curry barrage.
Lebron James' final Olympics and Stephen Curry's first
Entering year 22, LeBron James still showcases his plus-impact on the basketball floor. While he may not have the same burst he used to, he is still one of the best transition players on planet Earth and can elevate his play like no one else because of his IQ. After a hasty exit from this year's playoffs, James had ample time to ramp up for what may have been his final Olympic appearance. As he continues to push back the inevitable defeat to Father Time, James' passing, shooting, and basketball intelligence give any team he suits up for an advantage, especially a team equatable to that of the "Monstars". If this was indeed the last time we see LeBron wear the red, white, and blue, he left us with no doubt of his transcendent abilities.
On the other hand, interrupting LeBron's possible Olympic close was Stephen Curry as the two gave us a glimpse of what it would be like to see them compete in the NBA as teammates. With not much missing from Curry's Hall of Fame resume other than a gold medal, his performance in the last two games (continued later) more than stamped his ballot. Even with Curry's shot not falling in the four games prior, his gravity alone coupled with James' pinpoint passing created countless opportunities for their teammates. For as long as NBA fans have fantasized about the greatest shooter and greatest playmaker teaming up, the first and last appearance of these two Olympians settled our appetite for now.
Kevin Durant's chase for Olympic royalty
Here's a truism: Kevin Durant is really good at basketball.
Any doubt about his availability/capability for the Olympics was wiped away as soon as he checked in for the first time against Serbia in group play. Durant scored 23 points in six fewer minutes while only missing one shot. It doesn't matter when, where, or how, "KD" can get buckets, and entering the 2024 Olympics, he was chasing after some records. Fittingly, he surpassed four-time gold medalist Lisa Leslie for the most points scored- male or female - in US Olympic competition. He also became the only American male player to win four gold medals.
Durant is arguably one of the greatest scorers of all time, and it's quite the luxury to bring that firepower off the bench against the best competition in the world. A guaranteed 27 a night in the NBA, Durant's skillful shotmaking translates seamlessly to the FIBA setting. He has averaged 18.5 points in Olympic play (a record), and playing alongside top-end talent makes his job that much easier. Whether it was a catch-and-shoot three off an ill-advised double-team:
or a favorable isolation matchup:
Durant continued to show why he was the guy the U.S. turned to when they needed a crunch-time bucket.
Wembanyama vs. The Avengers (a.k.a. the future vs. the past; a.k.a. the World vs. America)
What better way to end the best basketball tournament in the world than with the host country competing against the heavily favored United States? Better yet, what if the game was a classical showdown between some of the best to ever do it and the future? Well, that's exactly what we got in the gold medal game on Saturday.
Ever since the basketball media landscape has been captivated by Victor Wembanyama, the French prospect has only gotten better and delivered on the prophecies of being a generational talent. However, his success has not been accompanied by his NBA team's. Wembanyama became better quicker than expected, outgrowing San Antonio's player development course and forcing them to provide him with the proper support. While reinforcements are delayed until the start of next season, it was clear that with Wembanyama, your team can compete from the jump.
So for France, head coach Vincent Collet needed to make the necessary adjustments (benching Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert) to maximize Victor and give his team the best chance at a gold medal. After two gutsy wins over Canada and Germany, Wemby was leading his team into battle against one of the best squads ever assembled.
For the names involved alone, this gold medal game was going to be the premier sporting event. You had three of the greatest players ever (James, Curry, Durant) squaring off against a once-in-a-lifetime talent who has the promise to be on a similar list. It was a clash of the past and future. Even more so, though, this game was a testament to how far the world has come in basketball development.
Since professional basketball players were allowed to compete in the Olympics in 1992, the United States Men's National Team has won gold in all but one Summer Games (2004). For the biggest basketball competition in the world, the U.S. has been dominant. But as the years have gone on, the path to gold has gotten more and more difficult. In fact, for as talented as the United States is, they have only beaten an opponent by more than 11 points once since 2000 (the one being by 30 against Serbia in 2016). Even in these Olympics, gold was not guaranteed. Serbia was a few made three-pointers away (wide open I might add) from toppling the defending champions. Had it not been for a Curry eruption, Wembanyama and France might have done the unthinkable. The game is expanding and thanks to technology and better coaching, the world has produced some of the best talent in the world with the likes of Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić.
Saturday's gold medal game was a testament to how close the gap is between the world and the United States in terms of basketball talent. In back-to-back Olympics, France gave the Americans a run for their money, and it would be no surprise if by 2028 they came into the competition as favorites. Time is the U.S.'s greatest enemy as the era of James, Curry, and Durant slowly comes to a close. For France, time is the ally allowing players like Wembanyama to develop and climb closer to their potential. As this chapter of the book on basketball closes, a new one is introduced to us with the title: "The Battle for the Golden Throne".
End Game
What would sports be without viral headlines or hot takes?
Media plays a huge role in how fans interact with their favorite sport. Social media moments serve as a call to action to get people to dedicate two to three hours of their time watching the product any league puts out. But even the best attention-grabbers are worthless if the game itself doesn't deliver. Fortunately for basketball fans, the gold medal game delivered on all of the hype thanks to an otherworldly shooting clinic from Stephen Curry.
With 2:58 left in the game, Wembanyama tipped in his miss to pull France within three points. Then, a Curry avalanche.
Jab step, pull up three. Bang.
Step back, pump fake three. Bang.
Pump fake, side step three. Bang.
Escape dribble behind the back, step back three over the double team. OHHHHHHHH, IT'S A GOLDEN DAGGER!
Total time elapsed: 2:13
4/4 3 PM
Basketball is a game of runs. Sometimes, your team is on the receiving end of one of the greatest individual scoring performances. Sorry France.
As I said earlier, Curry was struggling to find the bottom of the net to start the tournament. He had made only five three-pointers before making 17 in the final two games of the Olympics. Not only did Curry seal the victory for the U.S.A., but he also stamped this as one of the best basketball games in Olympic history.
In today's viral chasing society, rarely does hype match the actual product. Thankfully, during the world's greatest sporting spectacle, we got to witness a basketball game for the ages, leaving us with implications of what is to come.
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