Carmelo Anthony believes all eyes will be on Team USA at the Paris Olympics: "This would be like the '92 Olympics when Jordan them went to Barcelona"
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Although the United States men’s national basketball team has won four straight gold medals in the Olympics, they will face stiff competition in the Paris Olympics in July 2024. Opposing teams are set to field their best players, and Team USA is coming off a fourth-place finish in the FIBA World Cup in Manila, Philippines, last year. The Americans will be bringing their big guns to the basketball tournament.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry will undoubtedly be on the marquee, while rising star Anthony Edwards figures to make his first Olympic stint memorable. That said, three-time Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony believes all eyes will be on this version of Team USA, likening the glaring spotlight on this team to that of the 1992 “Dream Team.”
Lots of hype
Apart from the three megastars, also repping Team USA are reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, and All-Stars Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, and Bam Adebayo, making for an impressive collection of basketball talent never before seen outside of the NBA All-Star Game.
“This team that they put together now, like I honestly think ratings-wise, this would be like the ’92 Olympics when (Michael) Jordan and them went to Barcelona. Like the hype that that had, I think this hype would be the hype for this Olympics,” Melo said.
The 10-time All-Star compared this team to the “Dream Team,” which had hoop icons such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley. However, Melo’s statement may be plausible, as Team USA’s journey towards a potential gold medal will not be a breeze, making it a must-see TV.
Foreign teams are now up to the challenge
Whereas the “Dream Team” had a cakewalk to the gold medal in 1992, Team USA will not have the same luxury. In the past two Olympics, the USA’s squad has faced tough challenges from international teams like France and Spain, who have strong rosters filled with NBA-level talent. And this year’s competition is set to be even tougher, as more foreign players are making their mark in the league and bringing their skills back home.
Serbia will have two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic, while Slovenia will be bannered by Luka Doncic. Meanwhile, France will be led by San Antonio Spurs ace Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert.
“The international game has grown. International players damn near have taken over the league, right? So now we got to go put our Avengers together to go take on these other countries. So it’s all eyes, it’s pressure too, because these other countries, these guys are playing against these guys every single day, and they know,” Carmelo quipped.
Team USA is still the king of the mountain, but other countries are coming for their crown at the Paris Olympics. It will definitely take more than just star power to overcome the challenges ahead. With the likes of LeBron and Steph wearing the stars and stripes, Team USA remains the heavy favorite.