The USA men’s basketball team clinched their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in a thrilling 98-87 victory over France at Paris’ Bercy Arena, a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics final three years ago.
In what was likely his first and only Olympic appearance, Steph Curry emerged as the hero for Team USA. Curry, who played a crucial role in their narrow win over Serbia to reach the gold-medal game, led the U.S. with 24 points. He nailed four clutch three-pointers in the final three minutes, including the game-sealing shot with 33 seconds left that pushed the lead to nine points. Reflecting on his performance, Curry said, “I was just trying to settle us down. All we wanted was to get a good shot. The momentum was on our side, and at that point, your mind goes blank. It’s just about making the shot.”
On winning his first gold medal, Curry expressed his excitement and relief: “It wasn’t easy, but I’m thrilled. This is everything I wanted it to be and more.”
USA head coach Steve Kerr praised Curry’s late-game heroics, saying, “Steph was the difference maker. His flurry of shots at the end was incredible. I’ve seen it before, but it never gets old. But it wasn’t just Steph; the whole team put in so much work over the past six weeks.”
Kerr also acknowledged France’s strong performance: “France was amazing. It felt like we were going to break the game open many times, but they just kept hanging in there. Congrats to them for the silver medal.”
Reflecting on the tough semifinal against Serbia, Kerr noted, “We learned how hard these medal-round games are against the best teams. Watching Steph Curry here in Paris is something that never gets old.”
Discussing the global growth of basketball, Kerr remarked, “The game is truly global, with great talent all over the world. Victor Wembanyama was amazing tonight, and he’s soon to become one of the great players in the world. But we still feel like we have the best players in America.”
France’s head coach Vincent Collet spoke about the pride and disappointment of winning silver for a second consecutive Olympics: “It’s a great feeling, but I’m a competitor, and I wanted to win. We had a few open shots that could have brought us closer in the final minutes.”
Collet also expressed optimism about the future of French basketball: “This team has a bright future with very talented young players. Wemby is just 20 years old and played his best game tonight. He’s going to be even better.”
LeBron James, after receiving his gold medal, reflected on the journey: “We had one common goal: gold. We held each other accountable every day to get better, and we did that until the last game.”
James, who may have played his last Olympics, shared his emotions: “This means everything to me. At this stage of my career, I don’t know how many more big moments I’ll have, so having my family here is everything.”
On the global nature of basketball, James added, “It’s truly a global game, and we hope to inspire everyone across the world.”
When asked about competing in Los Angeles 2028, James responded, “I can’t see myself playing in LA. I didn’t see myself playing in Paris either, but four years from now? Nah, man.”
Comparing this gold medal to his previous ones from 2008 and 2012, James said, “This one is the best because it’s right now. We put this team together quickly after not liking how we played last summer, and we came together in less than a month.”
James also marveled at Curry’s performance: “You just have to admire his talent. I’ve seen it from the other side, and you just have to keep finding ways to get him the ball.”
Victor Wembanyama, after winning the silver medal, shared his thoughts on the experience: “I never dreamed of this moment. It’s incredible. Everyone contributed to this experience, from the team to the staff, and it was awesome.”
Looking ahead to his next Olympics, Wembanyama said, “We can’t take this for granted. In a tournament like this, things can change in an instant. We could have lost by 20 points, but we kept fighting. I’ll be going for gold in four years.”
Wembanyama also reflected on the lessons learned from the tournament: “We have a group that can adapt and fix problems. I’ll remember the love we received from the fans and the love we have for the game and each other.”
When asked if he had any regrets about the game, Wembanyama replied, “I’m doing everything to avoid regrets. We had a good performance today, and nothing was wasted.”
On the silver medal, he said, “I’ll cherish this moment and start realizing it’s the Olympics. It’s still an Olympic medal, and you never know when it’ll happen again. I’ll be like a kid at the closing ceremony.”
Wembanyama also looked to the future of French basketball: “We have to trust the younger generation, just like we trusted the experienced players this year. We have diamonds coming out of our country, and we still have all our chances.”