USA Men Win Fifth-Straight Olympic Gold Medal with Win Over France

10 August 2024

USA 98, France 87

View the USA-France box score here.

The 2024 USA Men’s National Team captured a 17th overall, and fifth-straight gold medal, after defeating France 98-87 in the Olympic Games Paris gold medal game.

In their 20th Olympics, USA Basketball holds a 144-5 overall record and is 36-1 since 2004. The U.S. have medaled in every Olympics in which they’ve participated. The USA reached the gold medal game for the 17th time, 12 more than any other nation (Soviet Union - 5).

France took home the silver medal for the second consecutive Olympic Games and fourth overall. In the bronze medal game, Serbia won its first ever Olympic basketball medal after defeating Germany 93-83.

Starting Out: Coach Steve Kerr ended the Olympic run with a new lineup of Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. Tonight was Durant’s first start for the U.S. in these Games. The starters combined for 72 of the team’s 98 total points.

Gold Medal Run: After an 8-0 French run, forcing a 24-25 deficit for the USA, the U.S. took a timeout. The Americans recollected themselves and came out to retake their last lead of the game with an 8-2 spurt (32-27). The first half concluded with a Jrue Holiday 3-pointer, advancing the U.S. advantage to 10 (49-39) with 24 seconds left, before Guerschon Yabusele tipped in a 2 at the buzzer to bring the French within single-digits (49-41) heading into the halftime break.

As the U.S. led 80-70 with just under six minutes left in the game, France made another push into the USA lead with a 9-2 run, bringing them within three points (72-69). Curry promptly shut down hopes of any comeback, making a 3-pointer on the following possession and the first of four from long range through the final three minutes of the game. He scored 12 of the last 16 points for the Americans as the team chucked the ball into the air to celebrate gold winning 98-87.

Golden Touch: Team USA shot 53.7% (36-67 FG) from the field and 50% (18-36 3FG) from beyond the arc in the game. The team finished shooting 55.4% (236-426 FG) from the field and 46.1% (89-193 3FG) from 3-point ranger in the tournament, leading all teams in both departments.

The team set a new USA Basketball Olympic record for 3-point percentage, passing the 2012 Olympic team (44%, 129-293 3FG). They also became the fourth best shooting team in U.S. Olympic history (post 1960) behind the 1992 (57.8%), 1996 (56%) and 1984 (55.7%) teams.

LeGold: James, the Olympic MVP, is the now owner of three Olympic gold medals after winning in 2008 and 2012. He joins Carmelo Anthony as the only American men to own three gold medals. Both Durant and James also join Anthony as the only American men to compete in four Olympic Games.

LeBron finishes the tournament averaging 14.2 points, a team-high-tying 8.2 rebounds and team-best 10.2 assists. His 10.2 assists per game are the most by an American in Olympic history, while his total of 51 helpers ranks third in U.S. history behind Leon Wood (63 apg, 1984) and Phil Ford (54 apg, 1976).

With 10 assists tonight, he also became the first American to have multiple 10-assist games since Phil Ford in 1976.

Easy Money Shines: In his fourth gold medal game, Durant scored 15 points (5-12 FG), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. He won his fourth gold, becoming the first American male to earn more than three. He played in his fourth consecutive Olympic Games after winning gold in 2012, 2016 and 2020.

He averaged 13.8 points, 6 rebounds and 2.3 assists over six Olympic games.

We Need More Gold, Chef: Curry followed his record-breaking semifinal with another outstanding shooting showing in the gold medal game. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and 9 of the last 11 for the USA. He finished with 24 points (8-12 3FG), 1 rebound, 5 assists and 2 steals in 29:37. He led the team in scoring through the Olympics with 14.8 points per game.

Curry finished shooting 47.8% (22-46 3FG) at the competition and shot 65.4% (17-26 3FG) in the last two games from beyond the arc. With 22 threes, he joins Durant (twice) and Anthony as the only Americans to record 20+ triples in an Olympics.

Allez, Livre: Booker was crucial in the tournament and came through for the U.S. in the gold medal game. He had a team-high 13 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3FG), 2 rebounds and 2 assists after two quarters. He ended the contest with 15 points (6-10 FG), 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

He ended the Olympics shooting a team-best 56.5% (13-23 3FG) from 3, which is the fifth-best percentage from long range in USA Basketball Olympic history.

Golden Opportunity: Anthony Davis was a difference maker on the defensive end for the USA. He recorded 4 blocks and 2 steals to go along with 8 points (4-5 FG) and a team-high 9 rebounds. He finished the event averaging

His 4 blocks are the most in a gold medal game since 1984, when blocked shots began being kept as an official statistic at the Olympics.

Kerr Your Enthusiasm: Kerr, the 17th head coach to steer the USA at the Olympic games, leaves Paris an Olympic Champion after leading the team to gold. He is the first USA Basketball Olympic head coach to win a gold medal with a USA Basketball team as a player (1986 FIBA World Cup).