LeBron James took to the Bercy Arena court with his brand new signature Nike sneakers clad in gold.
And by the time the night was done, he, along with the rest of the United States ended the night with gold around their necks too.
As many expected, albeit with a bump in the road, the USA claimed their fifth straight Olympic gold medal with a 98-87 win over hosts France, who settled for back-to-back silver medals.
“This is what we all wanted,” said James. “We came here with one common goal, and we took care of business.”
The U.S. went undefeated throughout the summer. Sure, it wasn’t as dominant or dazzling as many had hoped.
But their main objective was to retain their gold medal, and they did so collectively as a unit.
They had to adjust to the FIBA rules, the different court sizes, and the different opponents that many were not accustomed to, but they faced their challenges head-on.
Like he did in the semi-finals, Steph Curry, who exploded for 36 points in the semi-finals against Serbia, was at it again. He led the way with 24 points, including an eye-watering 8/12 from three-point land.
It was another masterpiece from the man who struggled throughout the Games but came through when it mattered. Curry hit 17 triples in the last two games, showcasing why he’s the greatest shooter on the planet.
“We always say you do what the game calls for and what you kind of feel like in the flow,” Curry said.
“The first four games, I had decent looks. They weren’t falling, but they were in the rhythm of the offense for the most part. Coach reminded me early on that the game will come to you if you allow it. Even if I was missing shots, just stay engaged.
“That kind of fed into being locked in these last two games. The game called for me to get shots up and knock them down. The Serbia game was just to keep us afloat until we could get over the hump.
“And then tonight, I was able to close it down. You just stay confident, stay present, and don’t get rattled by the moment. We’ve all been in those types of scenarios before where you just have to meet the moment. Just stay confident; look for your shot.”
Kevin Durant had 15 points, while James had a double-double of 14 points plus 10 assists.
Victor Wembanyama led all scorers with 26 for the hosts, who fell short of a gold medal. However, with a home crowd appreciative of their efforts, they stayed where they were on the Olympic podium.
For Wembanyama, an Olympic medal after a solid rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs completes a memorable year.
It didn’t take Wembanyama long to get going, either. He answered James’ opening dunk with a three, and the sold-out crowd in Paris was treated to the two Olympic stars trading baskets within the first minute.
Despite playing in a hostile environment similar to the FIBA World Cup final in 2010 when they played Turkiye in Istanbul, the USA remained in pole position.
Durant, the MVP of the FIBA World Cup in 2010, splashed a three to give his side the lead for nearly three minutes. From there, the United States found its momentum; however, France matched it blow for blow, dunk for dunk.
There was a sense that it was only a matter of time before the USA ballooned their lead to double digits, but that kept getting delayed.
The hosts, determined to put on a show in front of their home fans, gave them a highlight to remember with 2:12 left in the second as Guershon Yabusele went baseline and hammered home on LeBron for the three-point play.
It narrowed the United States’ advantage to 40-35, but true to who they are and how together they have been as a team throughout the summer, the star-studded side had a response.
After a slight delay, Devin Booker’s three-point play gave the USA a double-digit lead. His bucket came after Curry cashed in a three-pointer.
Trailing 49-41 heading into the third, France needed a run and was desperate for the home crowd’s lift and motivation.
But the U.S. firepower looked like it would be too much like it has been for all that came before them.
James hit from deep for 68-59, and late in the third, Anthony Davis restored that nine-point cushion inside after Evan Fournier hit from close.
But France would not give up; they scored the final five points of the third for 72-66 to keep things interesting.
That interest, though, was snuffed out. Jrue Holiday hit a triple with 7:02 left to make it 80-69, and despite their best efforts, the hosts couldn’t muster a big run.
Earlier on, Serbia collected the bronze medal with a 93-83 win over world champions Germany.
Photos: FIBA
