5-Peat Achieved for ‘The Avengers’: U.S. Men’s Basketball Claims Olympic Gold, Defeating Hosts France, 98-87

PARIS – No. 5 has been claimed.

A rematch of 2021’s Olympic final occurred in tonight’s gold-medal match between Team USA and France. The outcome played out the same as the U.S. men’s basketball team claimed its fifth consecutive gold medal in the tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Thanks to Steph Curry’s team-high 24 points, and clutch 3-pointers during the last three minutes of the game, the U.S. kept Olympic hosts France from completing a late-game comeback. Team USA secured a 98-87 win against the French on Saturday night.

The U.S. was thrown into another demanding match against France, who the Americans had previously faced three times in the Olympic finals (1948, 2000, 2021) and were 3-0 against. The French notably gave Team USA its last loss in Olympic competition, having beaten the U.S. in a group-stage meeting at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The Parisians weren’t going down without a fight this time, either, coming into the finals with an impressive 4-1 record and home-court advantage, which the U.S. had never faced in an Olympic gold-medal game before.

Many times, it looked as if the U.S. was able to run away with the game, extending the lead past 10 points. But the French refused to go away, finding a late surge during the fourth quarter, as the U.S. saw a 14-point lead dissipate to a three-point differential, 82-79, with 2:47 remaining.

2023 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Guerschon Yabusele, who had 26 and 20 points to their names by the end of the game, respectively, led the charge for Les Bleus.

Head coach Steve Kerr believed France kept the pressure on the Americans.

“I thought they did a great job in the fourth quarter of putting pressure on us,” Steve Kerr told Team USA. “They finished the third quarter strong too. There were several moments where it felt like we were gonna push it from 10 to 15 and we were gonna be in the clear.”

Unfortunately for France, it ended there. Enter, Curry’s flurry.

Four-time NBA champion Curry, 36, went on a sensational run, nailing several 3-pointers in a row – the third of which scored while double-teamed followed by his signature “night-night” celebration in front of the French crowd. France’s comeback was finally shut down for his first-ever Olympic gold in his first Games appearance.

Curry, who scored 60 points and 17-for-31 from beyond the arc within his last two games, noted that while he was missing opportunities early on, the game would eventually open up for him.

“Coach (Kerr) reminded me at a certain point early, ‘The game will come to you if you allow it,’” said Curry. “Even if I was missing shots, (I was telling myself) just stay engaged, and that kind of fed into being locked in for these last two games because that’s what the game calls for me to do: get shots up and knock them down.

“We have confidence in what we're trying to do, and I was just really present in the moment and enjoying myself if I could add something real quick.”

LeBron James, who had 14 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in the final, was glad to have Curry on his side for the first time in major competition.

“I’ve seen it before in a different uniform,” James said. “So it’s good to be on this side.”

James, 39, added three-time Olympic gold medalist and Olympic MVP of the men’s basketball tournament to his already stellar resume. The four-time NBA champion believed winning gold was the only thing on his mind, commending his self-dubbed, “Avengers,” for their composure throughout the entire Olympic campaign to claim gold.

“It’s a big moment for USA Basketball, and we came together,” James said. “We stayed even-keeled no matter what was going on throughout the preliminary games, throughout the tournament games. We got our moment. This is what we wanted. We all came here for one common goal and we took care of business.”

While James ruled out any chance of competing at the Olympic Games L.A. 2028, he continues to focus on enjoying the remaining moments.

“I’m just living in the moment,” said James in response to his future. “I’m super humbled that I can still play this game, play it at a high level, play with 11 other great players and coaching staff, and go out and do it for our country. It was a great moment.”

Team USA’s all-time leading scorer, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker found themselves on the scoresheet with 15 points each, as well. Durant, 35, earned his first start in what eventually earned him his fourth Olympic gold medal, the most by a U.S. men’s basketball player.

For Durant, the scoring records meant little to him compared to the big picture: winning gold.

“It was more about pushing the game forward on a bigger stage, setting the culture (overall) and helping set the culture for USAB,” Durant said. “There's so many great players that play in this program that they don't even think about who's the best player. You just come out here and try to contribute as much as you can for the big picture.”

Kerr added onto Durant’s comments noting how the experience as a first-time head coach at the Games has been unforgettable, getting to do it alongside his coaching staff and players. He served as an assistant coach for the U.S. men’s basketball team from 2017-21 and was on former head coach Gregg Popovich’s gold-winning staff at the Tokyo Games.

“What an amazing experience,” said Kerr regarding the players he coached. “I agree with Kevin, that the hospitality we received in Lille and in Paris, and the French people (was great). This has been an amazing experience, a beautiful experience, and then (I’m) very lucky to coach these guys.

"(It’s been) so fun to coach Kevin again, and obviously I'm very blessed to (have coached) Steph for the last decade."

It was a historic Olympic run in what may be the last time fans get to see all-time great James, Curry and Durant share the court together. Team USA bowed out with a flawless 6-0 journey.

“And we had a really wonderful group of guys,” Kerr said. “They were all very committed to winning and to each other, and they didn't let anything get in the way of the gold medal.”