By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Almost a month before the Olympic Games tip off in Paris, Serbia coach Svetislav Pesic declared that this year’s edition of Team USA is stronger than the Dream Team. Some claimed that he was just baiting, joking or having a laugh. Maybe simply that he was engaging in some form of “mind games” say since his national team will face LeBron and co. in the Group Stage.
Dream Team forward Chris Mullin, who didn’t even know Pesic’s name before hearing his quote, was offended. He got a bit mad and even disrespectful. “He needs to wake up, maybe jump in the Serbia sea or something to wake his as- up a bit. Maybe I’ll give him a history lesson,” said Mullin.
Serbia has no sea by the way.
Ultimately, the reasons why the 2024 USA team isn’t considered as powerful as the Dream Team and probably won’t just steamroll everyone else in the same dominant fashion, don’t have to do with the players that compile the squad itself. It’s because there is a humongous difference between the competition that USA had to face in the 1992 Games (and that era in general) and the kind of teams LeBron and company will face this year in Paris.
Some evidence of this: Different international players becoming MVPs in consecutive years while multiple others were in strong contention would be something out of a fairytale scenario back in the 90s.
And now? You got Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid (he was still a “non-USA” player in 2023). Six straight seasons with a non-American-born MVP. Even the strongest runner-ups, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Doncic are international players.
“The World has caught up” is what you now hear everywhere.
There’s no way to really know which of the two teams, the 1992 one or the 2004 one is the definitively “better” one. But here are five reasons why it’s not such a far-fetched statement to believe that this year’s Olympic team is indeed stronger.
A Big Three unlike any other
The trinity of LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant is arguably the mightiest Big Three ever in basketball history. As simple as that. And, so far, many who evaluate the potential of this Team USA based on performances in preparation games, forget that KD has yet to play due to his recovery from a calf strain.
The offense of this team will be on a whole different level with Durant on board and we can’t wait to see this Power Trio together in action.
Complete, well-rounded and diverse team
This team isn’t only very deep when it comes bench solutions but also in regards to different skillsets and what each player can bring on the floor. Everyone can shoot the ball and many can initiate offense for their teammates apart from themselves. Steve Kerr has a vast array of options and flexibility to play big, or small, to throw tough-as-nails defensive lineups when needed or go all in with a squad that can lit the opposing defense on fire.
From certified future Hall of Famers like veterans LeBron James and Kevin Durant to younger players who are on a path that can lead to all-time greatness like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, or Tyrese Haliburton, this team is the perfect combination of different generations, ages, enthusiasm, experience and talent.
The 1992 team was just not as versatile as the 2024 one.
More Winners
LeBron James and Steph Curry have four NBA championships in their trophy case while Kevin Durant got two of his own when he played with the latter. Jrue Holiday has two rings that he collected as a member of two different teams, the Boston Celtics this year and the Bucks in 2021. No small feat.
Jayson Tatum is fresh of winning his first championship. Anthony Davis collected his chip in the 2020, during the bubble tournament.
Most of these players were protagonists during their teams’ championships runs or, at the very least, significant contributors. Even those who haven’t got a ring yet, possess experience of Finals (Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker) or deep playoff runs (Tyrese Haliburton).
To make the comparison, the Dream Team had four NBA champions: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen and Larry Bird.
FIBA game experience
Outside Joel Embiid, every players in the Olympic roster has a certain experience from FIBA competitions and the differences between the game in the NBA and outside their league. Some of them, like Kevin Durant and LeBron James are veterans of global tournaments while others, like Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, got a taste of this kind of competition last year in the World Cup.
While several players sometimes downplay how different the game is, saying “it’s just basketball,” it’s obvious that that’s not the dominant feeling among the USA Basketball ranks. Take it from Grant Hill:
“The main thing is the FIBA game is different than the NBA game. And that’s something that we will just continue to emphasize the whole way. And there are things that we’re doing from a film standpoint, from a drilling standpoint, to just reinforce and maybe change some of our habits that work in the NBA but need to be altered a bit with FIBA competition.”
USA on revenge mode
Team USA has always been scarier when coming from lackluster runs in previous tournaments. Look no further than the 2008 Redeem Team that followed the 2006 team following a bronze medal in the World Cup and the 2021 Olympics team, two years after the worst-ever seventh-place finish in a World Championship.
Sure, these Olympic teams had some superstars who were absent from the above mentioned World Championship tournaments. But overall, the USA players are much more determined, hungrier and dangerous when their basketball pride has taken a blow.
As Booker said, “We have a lot of respect for those guys, but basketball still lies here.”
And this is why “Avengers assemble” – like Captain America himself shouted – is kind of a motto for the 2024 Olympics team.