Plus, James has won an Olympic gold medal with Kevin Durant, and Curry has teamed with the 35-year-old Phoenix Suns star to win two championships with the Warriors. The trio realized the 2024 Olympics in Paris was their chance to join forces for the first time and put those Finals appearances behind them.
“I’m looking forward to being able to walk away from the court with Steph and enjoy those moments,” James, 39, said Sunday while taking part in USA Basketball’s four-day Olympic training camp. “… Basketball games don’t last forever. [the media making it out to be] “‘LeBron vs. Steph. They should never laugh and they should hate each other.’ As much as me and KD and me and Steph have gone head-to-head, I can’t stand to listen to that false narrative.”
Los Angeles Lakers star James, who hadn’t played internationally since 2012, first talked to his wife, Savannah, who gave him her blessing for the summer overseas tour. Curry was drawn to the chance to win his first Olympic gold medal and play for Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Durant, meanwhile, needed no persuasion: a win in Paris after leading the U.S. to victory in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics would make him the first men’s basketball player to win four Olympic gold medals.
“He’s almost 40 and he’s still playing at the highest level,” Durant said of James. “That’s inspiring to me. … I know that’s important to a lot of people.” [to] Be the only man [something historic]That kind of stuff has never really impressed me. It’s the journey that’s cool to me.”
With those three on the roster, USA Basketball quickly built the deepest, most talented roster in its illustrious history, and that remains true even after six-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard left the team on Wednesday to recover from a knee injury. Of the remaining players, four have won NBA MVP awards; three have been named Finals MVPs; six have won NBA titles; all 11 have been All-Star nominees; and between them, Kerr and assistants Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue have led a combined seven NBA championship teams since 2012.
The U.S. brings a rich track record to Paris as it seeks a fifth consecutive gold medal. Coach Kerr’s team finished training camp on Tuesday and will play five exhibition matches before their Olympic opener against Serbia on July 28. The first warm-up game is Wednesday against Canada at T-Mobile Arena.
To win the gold medal on Aug. 10, the U.S. must advance through a four-team group and win three straight games in the knockout stages. France, Canada and Serbia are all medal contenders among the 12 teams, but the U.S. is the overwhelming favorite to win the championship.
“Do you see this team?” Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo yelled. “The rest of the world is trying to catch up, but when we put together a team like this and play the right way, they’re going to have a hard time beating us.”
The excitement surrounding the team is at a fever pitch not seen since Kobe Bryant, James and Durant won gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics. Hundreds of fans gathered at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, roaring with delight as Curry and Durant walked through USA Basketball’s temporary headquarters. Autograph-signing enthusiasts braved 117-degree heat on the final day of camp, and tickets to Wednesday’s Upper Bowl exhibition were selling for more than $500 on resale sites. Harris made a cameo appearance at Tuesday’s practice, shaking hands with James and posing for a photo with Curry.
“It’s a really cool atmosphere,” Curry said. “I was nervous in the first practice and I’m sure I’ll be nervous in the first game. It’s surreal, thinking about who’s on this team and all the battles we’ve had in my career. … I’m enjoying every minute.”
Faced with constant gold-medal-or-fail expectations, USA Basketball managing directors Grant Hill and Kerr sought substance to offset the superstar frenzy. At the Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the U.S. fielded a talented but undersized team that at times looked underpowered.
The U.S. lost their first match in Tokyo to France, but won the rematch in the gold medal game. The U.S. was the overwhelming favorite to win the World Cup, but lost to Lithuania, Germany, and Canada to finish in a disappointing fourth place.
When Kerr assembled this team, he showed tape of the World Cup loss to explain what needed to be changed. Studying this year’s tournament further emphasized the need for frontcourt reinforcements. France will feature a formidable duo in unanimous Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Serbia is expected to be led by three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic, while Greece boasts two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
To prepare for those matchups, USA Basketball scouted Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who was also eligible to play in France and Cameroon. The 2023 MVP would team with Anthony Davis and Adebayo to form a stellar interior rotation. Given that they’re all comfortable playing on the perimeter, Kerr could field a supersized lineup with two of the three playing together.
“It’s hard to bully me,” Embiid said. “It’s hard to bully me. [Davis and Adebayo]”I’m looking forward to getting the ball in the post and having Steph, KD and LeBron make cuts.”
The U.S. team boasts good size across the board. Coach Kerr can use the 6-foot-9 James as a point forward when he wants to apply pressure, and Durant has the sizeable and athletic Jayson Tatum on his wing. In the backcourt, Jrue Holiday provides strong support for Curry and pass-oriented point guard Tyrese Haliburton, while Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker round out the team as scoring guards who can stretch the floor.
James joked that USA Basketball has put together “the greatest AAU team of all time,” but Kerr is preparing for “a tremendous challenge.” Kerr made it clear that he and Curry “are not going to play 36 holes of golf on game day,” as coach Chuck Daly and Michael Jordan did when the Dream Team made their spectacular run to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
In a reminder that unexpected obstacles can surface, Durant missed training camp and Wednesday’s exhibition with a minor calf injury and Leonard was forced to leave the team, but the U.S. team heads to Paris with high expectations and enormous confidence in its core players.
“We’ve got LeBron, KD and Steph,” Edwards said. “I don’t think anybody can win with just those three on the court. You throw in two average guys like us and we’re OK.”