LAS VEGAS — Team USA’s Olympic men’s basketball roster is an embarrassment of riches. Filled with future Hall of Famers and NBA All-Stars, this group will enter the 2024 Paris Games as the heavy favorites to take home their fifth consecutive gold medal.
With former U.S. President Barack Obama sitting courtside, they showed why in an 86-72 victory over Canada in an exhibition Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.
Anthony Edwards led the USA with 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Steph Curry added 12 points and made three 3-pointers. Anthony Davis was present in the post with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while LeBron James had 7 points on 3 of 7 from the field.
RJ Barrett led Canada with 12 points and 5 rebounds.
“It was a good first game for us,” said U.S. coach Steve Kerr. “We’re just getting started: four days of practice. You could see the rust on the offensive side, with a lot of turnovers especially in that first half. But I loved that defensive intensity and the work on the glass. It was a good first effort and we needed to set the tone for how we played and I think we did.”
The US team took a while to find its rhythm early on. Despite the incredible amount of talent on the field, it was their first competitive game as a collective unit – and it showed.
Poor shifts and missed shots allowed Canada to open the game 11-1.
It wasn’t until Curry’s 3-pointer, nearly five minutes into the contest, that they attempted a field goal. Canada led 21-14 after the first quarter.
But these fights did not last long. The Americans started the second quarter on a 7-0 run and never looked back. Their second unit – led by Edwards and Davis – was a key factor in turning everything around.
“It was a slow start, which wasn’t surprising since we’re just starting out here, but I love the second group,” Kerr said. “Then the defense, picking up the pace for us in transition, made some good plays to really drive our offense and that put us in the game.”
USA Basketball, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this summer, paid tribute to legends of the past by bringing up members of teams that won medals during a break in the action. Those in attendance in Las Vegas included Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Grant Hill, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.
Obama, who spoke to the team before the game, also received loud applause as he sat on the floor.
Curry said the former president was “really inspiring with his words.”
“It was cool to send us on this journey celebrating 50 years of USAB and what we’re trying to do this summer,” Curry said. “I got goosebumps as he spoke. It makes you feel good about who you’re representing.”
The USA will begin its quest for another gold medal on July 28 against Serbia, which features former NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. Unlike Wednesday night, it’s not a match they can start slowly.
James said cohesion will come with time.
“It’s easy to come together when you have a common goal, and our common goal is to play hard and win gold,” he said. “It shouldn’t take long.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
