Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Athlon Sports
LeBron James Olympic Moment Receives NBA 2K Remake
By Lance Roberson,
2 days ago
NBA 2K fans are a creative bunch. As the release date for NBA 2K25 looms, the urge to make content itches the inventive part of particular gamers' brains. During the slow NBA days of August, one must reach into the deepest part of one's imagination to give fans something new. Thankfully, for content creators in the basketball universe, the Paris Olympics provide a source of inspiration.
A San Antonio Spurs fan, Victor Wembanyama admirer, or LeBron James "hater" found time to do their best recreation of the Guerschon Yabusele dunk over the Team USA star in the gold medal game.
Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; France power forward Guerschon Yabusele (7) celebrates during the second half against Germany in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit&colon Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Yabusele's dunk over James instantly made for a viral sensation. Although the French forward spent two years in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, his career hadn't amounted to much other than playing spot minutes. However, during the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wembanyama's teammate rejuvenated the French team, averaging 14 points, including a 20-point performance vs. Team USA in the gold medal game.
Ultimately, though, the dunk over James in the gold medal game is the highlight of his career.
The fan that created the moment did almost everything right. However, expecting AI to cooperate in a scripted task without the proper programming will lead to some holes in a reenactment.
The NBA 2K highlight showcases Yabusele dunking over James, but as X (formerly known as Twitter) users pointed out, it's not a shot-for-shot remake.
In the video game footage, James doesn't take charge as he did in the gold medal game. Instead, the Team USA star jumps. Also, James is in the restricted area instead of in proper charge territory. While the X users may come off as nitpicky and a bit of a Monday-morning quarterback, they are technically correct in their critiques.
Nonetheless, it was a fun video of a classic moment in basketball history.
Yabusele earned a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2024-25 season.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Comments / 0