Zac Electrifly

The United States has won four straight gold medals at the Olympics since 2008. There has only been three Olympic games where the United States participated but did not win gold. This year is the twentieth anniversary of the when the United States was upset in the Olympics and won bronze. That was the only time since NBA players have been allowed to participate that the United States did not win the gold medal. During the 2020 Olympics the United States did lose a game for the first time in the Olympics since 2004. It was also the only time they have won the Olympic gold medal while having a loss. It was only the sixth time the United States has lost an Olympic basketball game. The United States is coming off of a disappointing 2023 FIBA World Cup. The United States only finished in fourth place in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The United States usually does not send their best players to the FIBA World Cup. The United States FIBA World Cup performance is not an indicator to how they will preform in the Olympics.

Only five players are in this pool that were on the 2020 Olympic team. Twenty three of the thirty NBA teams have at least one player in this player pool. Kevin Durant has the opportunity if he makes the team to win his fourth gold medal. That will give him more olympic gold medals than any other USA Basketball player. If the LeBron James makes the team, he will be the only player on the team who played on the 2004 team. Joel Embiid is likely the biggest key to the United States winning another gold medal. He is averaging 35.3 points per game plus he has a 53% field goal percentage in the NBA right now. Along with Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James are the only players in the top twelve in both points per game and field goal percentage in this player pool. I think those guys are going to be on the team. My picks from this player pool would be Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, LeBron James, Jarrett Allen, Donovan Mitchell, Stephen Curry, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, and Kawhi Leonard. As a Sacramento Kings fan I am really hoping De’Aaron Fox makes the team.

Steve Kerr will be the head coach. He has been the had coach of the Golden State Warriors since 2014. He did play on the last United States team that was completely amateur. Most notably as a player he played with the Chicago Bulls from 1993 to 1998. He won five NBA championships as a player and four as a coach. He was an assistant coach for the 2020 Olympics. He was named the head coach of the United States basketball team in 2021. He was the coach for the disappointing fourth place finish at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. This will be his first Olympics as head coach. He will be joined by Mark Few (head coach at Gonzaga), Tyronn Lue (head coach LA Clippers), and Erik Spoelstra (head coach Miami Heat).

Like any other Olympics it is the United States is the favorite to win Basketball. It is not garnered though. The loss in the 2020 Olympics and the United states performance in the last FIBA World Cup does not make me supper confident in the team. I think we can do it. I think we have the most talented basketball players in the world. The problem is can they work together as a team? How will they adjust as a team to the international game? Those are the two problems that always come up for the United States basketball team. Other international teams have been playing together for a long time. They have built up chemistry and know what it is like to play the international game.