The men’s basketball team of the United States of America won its fifth consecutive gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, 98-87, over France, the host country. 

Team USA was the favorite to win gold with the talent they displayed, and while it wasn’t easy, they had enough to come out on top. The U.S. knew that capturing gold would be challenging due to the talent the rest of the world now possesses.

It was a long battle in the Olympics and even in the exhibition matches, but the United States had just enough thanks in large part to future Hall of Famer and NBA superstar LeBron James. It all started and ended with James this summer. His heroics, tremendous play, and his leadership went a long way. James knows that what he and his team accomplished wasn’t easy, and he did so against some elite talent. 

Although another gold medal in his collection is excellent, James hopes that this victory did more for the game of basketball and inspired others worldwide. 

“We got our moment,” said LeBron James, 39. The 20-time All-Star was the second-oldest player at the Olympics, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and now, MVP of the 2024 Olympic tournament. “It’s a basketball world. Everybody loves the game. We just hope that we continue to inspire people all over the world.”

Basketball is a global sport, and that hasn’t been more evident than in these past handful of years in the NBA. Guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece, Nikola Jokić from Serbia, and Luka Dončić from Slovenia have established themselves as superstars in the league. 

While that may be the case, James is still showing why he is among the top players in the world at the age of 39. James will turn 40 in December and has shown zero signs of slowing down. 

James was arguably the best player for Team USA in these Olympics, which is impressive considering the superstars on the roster. The three-time gold medalist averaged 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in six tournament games, in which the U.S. went a perfect 6-0, including a thriller semi-final match against Serbia. 

James was the steady rock throughout the tournament run and exhibition matches. While he wants to ensure that the game of basketball is even more global in the future than it is now, the United States needs to develop players the right way to avoid being left behind. 

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