13 iconic photos of the men's USA basketball team celebrating Olympic gold
blake schuster
·1-min read
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; Team USA celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
For the fifth straight Olympic games, the USA men's basketball team is heading home with a gold medal — and, whew, did they have to work for this one.
Despite a roster loaded with LeBron James, Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant (among other NBA All-Stars), Serbia gave the Americans a scare in the semi-final before France pushed Team USA to the brink in Saturday's gold medal game.
As the final buzzer rang out, the weight of what they accomplished washed over the whole team — and NBA fans, in general. The pictures really say it all.
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States shooting guard Stephen Curry (4) celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States shooting guard Stephen Curry (4) and guard LeBron James (6) celebrate after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States shooting guard Stephen Curry (4) celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Bam Adebayo #13 and assistant coach Erik Spoelstra of Team United States celebrate after their victory against Team France during the Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Lebron James #6 of Team United States celebrates with teammates after their victory against Team France during the Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Devin Booker (15) celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Bam Adebayo #13 of Team United States shakes hands with managing director of the USA Basketball Men's National Team Grant Hill after their victory against Team France during the Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Lebron James #6 and Jrue Holiday #12 of Team United States hug while Kevin Durant #7 and Stephen Curry #4 of Team United States hug after their victory against Team France during the Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) celebrates with his mother Wanda Durant after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
USA's #07 Kevin Durant (L) and USA's #13 Bam Adebayo (R) celebrate after the USA won the men's Gold Medal basketball match between France and USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP) (Photo by DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)
Gold medallists (From L) USA's #04 Stephen Curry, USA's #07 Kevin Durant, USA's #05 Anthony Edwards, USA's #09 Tyrese Haliburton, USA's #08 Derrick White, USA's #10 Jayson Tatum, USA's #06 LeBron James, USA's #11 Joel Embiid, USA's #13 Bam Adebayo, USA's #14 Anthony Davis, USA's #15 Devin Booker and USA's #12 Jrue Holiday pose after the men's Gold Medal basketball match between France and USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP) (Photo by DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Stephen Curry #4 of Team United States hugs sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson of Team United States while former NBA player Carmelo Anthony hugs Anthony Davis #14 of Team United States after Team United States' victory against Team France during the Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
