LeBron James was named the Olympics MVP after Team USA won the gold medal, prevailing over the host country, France. However, one former NBA All-Star disagrees with the decision to award the award to the Los Angeles Lakers forward.
Stephon Marbury vehemently disagreed with the decision to hand the MVP title to James because he felt that Stephen Curry deserved the award more. He claimed in a harsh rant that it was “wrong” for LeBron to win the highest individual honor at the Olympics.
“They gave the MVP to the wrong player,” Marbury wrote in an Instagram post. “Maybe they called out the wrong name by accident … In international ball, if you can’t shoot, you can’t have the ball at the end of the game.
“I get LeBron is the King to many, but let me say this: when you give him what he doesn’t deserve, you basically say that because of what he’s done, he should receive such a high honor on the biggest stage. No, he didn’t earn it this time.”
“Starbury” has frequently taken shots at James for not being one of the most efficient jump shooters in the NBA. The two-time NBA All-Star was courtside next to Carmelo Anthony to see the gold medal game, even congratulating James after winning the gold. However, the Lakers star seemingly did not reciprocate the gesture.
Marbury based his reasoning on Curry’s clutch plays in the final minutes of the gold medal game, making four consecutive three-pointers, including one over France’s Nicholas Batum and Guerschon Yabusele that sealed the win for Team USA. LeBron James appeared to take a backseat in that stretch, but he was involved in some of the plays that allowed Curry the points.
LeBron James vs. Steph Curry: Who’s the real Olympics MVP?
Besides Curry’s performance in the finals, Marbury based his pick for Olympics MVP on the Golden State Warrior’s 36-point game in the semifinal game over Serbia. However, LeBron James also has a solid case to win the award.
27 of Curry’s 36 points against Serbia in the semifinal came from three-pointers, all of which allowed Team USA to whittle down their opponent’s 17-point advantage. Then, in the gold medal match, Curry’s shotmaking made sure France didn’t have a chance for an upset. He scored 24 points in the game, all of which were from beyond the arc—a spectacular feat, to say the least.
On the other hand, James was the most consistent player throughout the tournament. He averaged 14.2 points on 66% shooting while also leading the team in rebounds (6.8) and assists (8.5). In the semifinal, he even set the record for the most triple-doubles in Olympic history.
Steph Curry pushed up the ante, scoring points at the most critical of moments, but LeBron James was the rightful Olympics MVP just because of his overall consistency on the court since Day 1. Stephon Marbury has a point about Curry, but in the end, James just had a slight advantage over his NBA rival when it comes to being the most valuable player in the Olympics.
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