There’s no denying that Team USA is going to be the team to beat in the upcoming Paris Olympics. At the same time, however, there are a number of teams out there that might have a thing or two to say about this notion.
In fact, one might even argue that the level of competition in the upcoming international tournament is as high as it has ever been. Team USA stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant seem to think so.
Team USA News: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant Not Underestimating Competition
During Thursday’s media availability session featuring Curry and Durant, the two former Golden State Warriors teammates were asked about which international players in the tournament they feel could stand out among the pack. Durant mentioned Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, but what is clear is that there are more than a few stars out there.
“Giannis maybe, Jokic…” Durant said.
“You got some options,” chimed Curry.
“Yeah, our game is global now. So, all these guys are huge stars in their own ways.”
The pair then presented a compelling factoid about the sheer number of NBA players that will be competing in the Olympics.
“Did you see that thing where they said the Dream Team played against 9 NBA players?” Curry asked.
“We play 65, 64 NBA players now. They are all the best of the best in the world,” Durant said.
Reporter: Outside of Team USA who you think will be the biggest star in the tournament?
KD: Giannis maybe, Jokic…
Steph: Did you see that thing where they said the Dream Team played against 9 NBA players?
KD: We play 65, 64 NBA players now. They are all the best of the best. pic.twitter.com/TdT4ZQKxFV
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) July 25, 2024
That’s quite a jump, to say the least, and this speaks volumes of how the global game has evolved through the decades.
Either way, the expectation for Team USA to dominate the field remains the same.
For More NBA Content:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @HardwoodHeroics. You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest NBA news, click here!
