Team USA, led by a cadre of NBA superstars (including two Los Angeles Lakers), is on the cusp of securing its fifth consecutive gold medal on Saturday. But first, it’ll need to vanquish the 2024 Paris Olympics’ home nation, Team France, led by 7-foot-4 San Antonio Spurs All-Defensive First Team center Victor Wembanyama. The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, has put on a bit of a disappearing act of late. French head coach Vincent Collet has relegated him to riding pine for most of the last two games, during which he has averaged a scant four minutes per appearance. Clearly, Collet
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Wembanyama has been the star of the show and will be the toughest cover for the U.S. The 20-year-old budding superstar is averaging 13.8 points on .375/.267/.650 shooting splits, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 steals and 2.0 blocks a night.
Like Gobert, two other major current NBA players on Team France have had less of an impact than one might expect. L.A. Clippers combo forward Nicolas Batum and free agent shooting guard Evan Fournier have had solid runs, but wings Isaia Cordinier and former Boston Celtics first round draft selection Guerschon Yabusele have enjoyed better tournament runs. Yabusele ranks second to Wembanyama in scoring for France, logging 12.8 points per. Cordinier is notching 10.6 points a game, and connecting on 50 percent of his triples.
All-NBA Los Angeles stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been critical parts of Team USA’s undefeated run thus far.
Across 22.9 minutes a night, while starting every game, James is averaging 14.2 points on a .674/.273/.714 slash line, 8.2 assists, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals a night. The 20-time All-Star notched a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist double-double in the Americans’ narrow 95-91 semifinal victory over Team Serbia. The U.S. needed every single contribution James could give them.
Davis, mostly playing behind Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid (who, unlike Davis, is a notably weak defender), is averaging 8.4 points on .593/.500/.500 shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, one block and one steal.
The action tips off at 12:30 p.m. PT in Paris’ Accor Arena. Fans can tune in to the fun on NBC, or can stream the bout on Peacock, nbcolympics.com, Fubo TV and Sling TV.
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