Bonsoir.
You know when you put your kids to bed, sometimes you have to check one more time to see if they’re actually asleep?
That’s what Steph Curry did to France, in Paris, for the Gold Medal Game of men’s basketball in the 2024 Olympic Games.
After shooting the city of lights out against Serbia in the semis, not two nights before, Chef Curry cooked France like ‘Ratatouille’ in the closing moments of the fourth. Hitting a golden state, the Olympic warrior broke out the famous “night, night” celebration.
And that was all he wrote on the 10th of the 8th, 24, or as some say, Kobe jersey day. With Vanessa Bryant and family watching in the stands alongside Olympic great Carmelo Anthony, Scottie Pippen and Jimmy Fallon, Steph hit 24 points…all off three pointers. The 98-87 win over host nation France sealed the gold for USA Basketball. The organization celebrating its 50th anniversary in style.
“My boy just got to Paris three days ago, but we so glad he got here,” Anthony Edwards quipped, but man, did he ever show up. MVP of the tournament, LeBron James, got his own back when the camaraderie of the crew popped champagne. After Ant-Man struggled to uncork his victory bubbly, ‘Bron boasted, “come on, Ant! We know you ain’t been there yet.”
Edwards had himself an Olympics, though. Blocking shots like volleyball spikes and making nice with the table tennis team. It was all love for this crew, like Steve Kerr finally playing Boston Celtics NBA champion Jayson Tatum. We’ll get into choosing great guard Derrick White over Finals MVP Jaylen Brown another time.
Besides, the best gag of Paris 2024 belongs to this tweet from Tyrese Haliburton. They’ve all been there, ‘rese. Just ask Harrison Barnes in Rio.
Curry stirring the pot. An ageless King James with more salt and pepper in his beard (how do you say “Just For Men” in French?). And Kevin Durant passing Lisa Leslie as the all-time leading scorer in Olympic basketball history. Is this the biggest three ever? Well, the dream of Larry, Magic and Mike and a redeeming LeBron, ‘Melo and Kobe might have something to say about that. Either way, The Avengers are assembled and back like Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.
Atlanta 1996. Sydney 2000. Athens 2004. Beijing 2008. London 2012. Rio 2016. Tokyo 2020. And now Paris 2024 to infinity. The only team more dominating in Olympic basketball than the men’s US basketball team is the American Women’s national team.
Forget a 50th anniversary in Paris, USWNT hit 60th consecutive Olympic wins after ruling over Australia in the semi-finals.
So, what was one more?
Apparently a lot, as the US gutted out a win against the French national team, with everyone from the King to Victor Wembanyama watching.
It looked like France would take it on their home hardwood, and in some ways they deserved it. It all came down to Phoenix Mercury and Philly’s own Kahleah Copper’s (ten of her twelve points came in the fourth period) late rise and drive and another former Chicago Sky star in France’s Gabby Williams.
The EuroLeague star and accomplished track and field athlete proved she still belongs in the big league and the biggest stage of the Olympics. France led by as much as ten points and Gabby’s team-high 19, shot the lights out like Steph hours before.
Yet with a chance to tie it and take it to an overtime this war of attrition richly deserved, Williams sank a beautiful buzzer beater. But after all that, the momentum of her finding her place and shot saw her toe hit the line for a two-pointer and not the three that would have taken them that much further.
Watching here in the nation that hosted the 2020 games, on Skype with my father in the country that held the 2012 games, we were all heartbroken.
Williams is a French American who currently plays for Fenerbahçe, until the W snaps her back up after this performance. She was actually born in a town in Nevada called Sparks. But it was Las Vegas Ace A’ja Wilson and her 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks that paced this US 67-66 relief win.
France should be proud. They reached both finals and made a Gold Medal game of both contests. Silver is nothing to sniff at.
The US didn’t fare so well in the hugely popular 3×3 tournament, after the streetball circuit’s Tokyo introduction. The women’s team of Rhyne Howard, Hailey Van Lith, Cierra Burdick and Dearica Hamby (replacing injured Los Angeles Sparks teammate Cameron Brink) made the podium in bronze after Germany got gold and Spain, silver. But the men’s team of Dylan Travis, Kareem Maddox, Barry family member Canyon and legend Jimmer Fredette didn’t medal. Gold went to the Netherlands, silver to France (the kings of courting hoops silver) and bronze, to Lithuania.
Bronze is still beautiful, and this was the men’s first time, mind you. Also, just like if France had prevailed over the US, we need to think of it not as the American’s failure, but how the global game is developing. Still, like FIBA allowing countries to use professional players on their international teams back in 1989, maybe we’ll see more NBA players in 3×3 competitions in the future.
Tyrese Haliburton could sure use the burn.
It’s been an incredible Chef Curry Kiss run of Olympic basketball across four distinctions. All nations have shown out. Whether it be the good German’s following their World Cup win last summer. The pride of last Olympic hosts, Japan, taking it to France in a game where the referees were wearing blue. Or the heart here in Canada.
It’s been an outstanding Olympics too, as we say “merci beaucoup” to Paris. From weightlifting to breakdancing, even Australia’s entry. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, and Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg rocking us via satellite on Venice Beach in the classic closing ceremony, for the next episode. As the games move to Los Angeles, like they did in ’84, for LA 2028. Get ready for gridlock and a Tom Cruise motorcycle stunt straight out of ‘Mission: Impossible’ that even rivalled James Bond jumping out of a helicopter with The Queen in London.
Who knows, maybe even LeBron, halfway between a Jerry West and Michael Jordan “wearing the 4-5” jersey number, will suit up in the town his team plays in.
Now what an encore that would be.
What the hell is he waiting for?
Here’s to the next four years.
Only in Hollywood.
