Durant set the record for most points scored in USA men’s Olympic history at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, surpassing Carmelo Anthony’s previous record of 336. Durant, aged 35, now sits on 435 points, and the Phoenix Suns’ star could achieve more history at Paris 2024 by breaking a tie with Anthony for the most gold medals— 4 —won by a male basketball player at the Olympic Games.

The obvious question surrounding James, Curry, and Durant (as well as the rest of the team) is straightforward: can all of these superstars mesh on the court?

The USA are still ironing out the kinks in that regard, with South Sudan (ranked 33rd in the world) almost causing a monumental upset in an exhibition game on Saturday, 20 July. Given the immense competition level across all 12 teams in the tournament, the USA won’t be able to rely on star power alone to win the gold.

That is the challenge that James, his teammates, and head coach Steve Kerr must navigate in Paris.