The 2024 Team USA entered the Paris Olympics with a clear objective to re-establish their dominance in the basketball world. Throughout the summer, Steve Kerr's team faced several moments of tension, from which they consistently emerged victorious.
Their triumphs were often punctuated by LeBron James' 'King' sign or Stephen Curry's 'night-night' celebration. However, these antics were not appreciated by Chris Russo , who vehemently criticized Team USA players for showboating their gold medal triumph despite considering the obvious advantage their star-studded roster provided.
"I am sick of this USA basketball on the men's side making a big deal about winning a gold medal. And Steph Curry putting people to sleep. It's a 10-day tournament. It's a 10-day tournament. They play six games," Russo said on First Take. "You know what they were favored in a gold medal game? By 16 points! They got a million Hall of Famers on this team! And then Durant is tweeting after the game, 'Look at me with all these gold medals.'"
Russo sounds off on 2024 Team USA
A prevailing theory suggested that international competition had significantly increased compared to the situation in the '90s, when the Dream Team only faced nine international NBA players in the Barcelona Olympics, as opposed to KD & Co. facing 60+ in Paris. However, Russo buried this hype by highlighting how Team USA beat Evan Fournier, who hasn't played more than 45 games in three of the last four seasons, in the gold medal game.
The 64-year-old analyst then downplayed 2024 Team USA's success by highlighting how 1976 Team USA's triumph was more significant as they bounced back to avenge their country's controversial loss in the finale four years ago against the Soviet Union.
"The most significant gold medal in basketball we ever won without a doubt is 1976 because that's after we got absolutely killed in 72 in Munich, " Russo added. "But the idea that we are going to make a big deal that Durant and Davis and Embiid and Booker and Curry and LeBron these are the some of the greatest basketball players in the history of creation, and they beat Evan Fournier? I mean, you must be kidding me that this is that big a deal. I was rooting for France."
Related: "Frequently it was heated" — Steve Kerr claims Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen's conversations in practice usually had tension
2024 Team USA's triumph had more impact than Russo could understand
'Mad Dog' has always had a propensity for making statements that attract media attention, but Team USA has frequently found itself in situations where it has had to reassert its dominance as the world's foremost basketball power.
Following their defeat in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 2024 Team USA had a chance to prove that winning a gold medal is not so much a celebration as it is a formality when their best players are involved. So, while Russo may be tired of seeing his country dominate the basketball world, Kerr's team performed admirably and deserved to celebrate for restoring pride to the nation in a sport it has thoroughly dominated.
Related: 'Dream Team' author Jack McCallum still picks the 1992 group over the 2024 squad: "It's hard for me to bet against them"
Local News
