12Tyrese Haliburton

MINS: 8.7
PTS: 2.7
REB: 0.0
AST: 0.7
STL: 0.3
BLK: 0.0
FG%: 60.0
3P%: 50.0
FT%: 0.0

Haliburton would’ve been happy just to make the squad, even after his 2024 post-season performance in the NBA, leading the Indiana Pacers to an unlikely conference finals birth before being taken down by eventual champion Boston Celtics.

His ranking here is no criticism of his play, just a reflection of the little opportunity available in such a stacked squad.

11Jayson Tatum

MINS: 17.8
PTS: 5.3
REB: 5.3
AST: 1.5
STL: 1.0
BLK: 0.5
FG%: 41.2
3P%: 30.8
FT%: 50.0

Tatum has endured a rollercoaster couple of months in his basketball career. Each rise has been dampened by a minor setback, not that he would consider them setbacks, being the team player that he is.

Still, the Celtics conference finals win resulted in Tatum being publicly critiqued as teammate Jaylen Brown won the Conference MVP award, as was the eventual championship victory when Brown also took home Finals MVP.

His place on the Team USA roster was a celebratory moment made somewhat sour by his lack of playing time, with DNP’s to his name and some struggles when he did hit the court.

Astonishingly, his ranking among the best players in the NBA may take a hit entering next season, despite coming off a championship as the team’s best player.

10Bam Adebayo

MINS: 16.0
PTS: 6.0
REB: 3.7
AST: 1.3
STL: 0.8
BLK: 0.3
FG%: 53.3
3P%: 33.3
FT%: 50.0

Bam was a solid back-up big man over the Olympic period, continuing his run with Team USA after taking gold in Tokyo 2020.

His statistical production is less of a performance indicator than it is for others, instead earning credit for his defensive presence and ability to affect opposition flow by simply being there.

Another gold medal to his name means a whole lot more than any individual accolades Bam may have been striving for in these Olympics.

9Derrick White

MINS: 15.8
PTS: 3.8
REB: 1.4
AST: 1.6
STL: 1.4
BLK: 1.0
FG%: 38.1
3P%: 0.0
FT%: 83.3

After receiving the late call up with Kawhi Leonard’s omission, Derrick White would’ve just been happy to make the squad, even over snubbed NBA teammate Jaylen Brown.

Again, his statistical production doesn’t mean a whole lot, like for the Celtics, his role is more of a nitty-gritty defensive-minded one, fighting for loose-balls and defending the perimeter above any offensive generation or flair.

White will be regarded higher than he ever has been entering the 2024/25 NBA season, being a gold medallist and a critical piece of the reigning champion.

8Jrue Holiday

MINS: 18.8
PTS: 7.6
REB: 1.8
AST: 3.6
STL: 0.4
BLK: 0.6
FG%: 55.6
3P%: 50.0
FT%: 0.0

Like White, Jrue Holiday took a selfless role in the side, renowned for being a floor general and elite perimeter defender.

That’s what he was for Team USA, playing a starting role for much of the campaign, and catching the eye with some surprise performances, including 15 points with three triples and two steals in the group stage against Serbia.

7Joel Embiid

MINS: 16.8
PTS: 11.2
REB: 3.8
AST: 1.4
STL: 0.2
BLK: 1.0
FG%: 56.8
3P%: 54.5
FT%: 72.7

Embiid became one of the major talking points out of Team USA in Paris for multiple reasons.

His place in the team came into question, given his eligibility to play for three nations; Cameroon, France and USA. He was scrutinised publicly for his struggles in the opening games, appearing to be a liability as the starting centre, unable to fit as a three-point shooting big man in the team.

To his credit, he responded in a big way, most notably in he semi-final against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, dropping 19 points on 73% shooting to help take the side to the gold medal match.

6Devin Booker

MINS: 22.2
PTS: 11.7
REB: 2.7
AST: 3.3
STL: 0.5
BLK: 0.0
FG%: 58.1
3P%: 59.1
FT%: 77.8

Devin Booker was one of the surprise packets of the Olympics for USA, earning the fourth most minutes for the squad and playing a familiar role for coach Steve Kerr comparable to that of former Warrior Klay Thompson.

Booker seemingly couldn’t miss from deep, and effectively spread the defence, forcing them to lockdown down the perimeter and allowing his slashing star teammates a lane to the hoop.

He is another player who will earn a major boost in status ahead of the next NBA season, having played one of the most important roles for his country on the biggest stage.

5Anthony Davis

MINS: 16.5
PTS: 8.3
REB: 6.7
AST: 2.0
STL: 1.2
BLK: 1.5
FG%: 62.5
3P%: 50.0
FT%: 81.8

Anthony Davis should arguably have been the starting centre coming into the Olympics, having eventually earned starting status amid Embiid’s struggles.

His style seemed to fit best with stars LeBron James, Steph Curry and the others on the floor, while his versatile presence had him looking like the peak of the lot at stages these Olympics.

He was clearly one of the best defenders of anyone in Paris, maybe second behind French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.

4Anthony Edwards

MINS: 16.2
PTS: 12.8
REB: 2.8
AST: 1.2
STL: 1.3
BLK: 0.3
FG%: 58.0
3P%: 48.0
FT%: 58.3

Ant-man was very productive in little time on the floor, managing nearly 13 points a game from just 16 minutes.

He is primed to take the mantle of the lead-man for the US in the 2028 Olympics and beyond, taking this campaign to learn from the greats but still influence the gold-medal winning ways of the team with a stellar campaign.

3Kevin Durant

MINS: 22.2
PTS: 13.8
REB: 3.2
AST: 2.3
STL: 1.0
BLK: 0.2
FG%: 54.8
3P%: 52.0
FT%: 93.8

The 35-year-old may have hit the biggest shot of the Olympics with that 20-foot contested fadeaway jump shot to help seal the semi-final win over Serbia, having only scored seven point up until that point of the game.

He is still one of the most prolific scorers in the world and may have staked his claim among the greatest US Olympic basketball players of all time, earning his fourth gold medal with another brilliant performance.

2Stephen Curry

MINS: 23.3
PTS: 14.8
REB: 3.2
AST: 2.5
STL: 0.7
BLK: 0.0
FG%: 49.2
3P%: 46.8
FT%: 100

The two oldest guys on the team used these Olympics to show that they’ve still got it and can still compete for NBA glory in the right situation.

Curry’s 36 points and nine triples in the four-point semifinal win over Serbia is up there with the greatest performances of his career, falling one point short of Carmelo Anthony’s Olympic record; 37.

In 33 minutes, he led the USA charge to the gold medal match with one of those iconic Curry performances, nearly enough to earn him MVP honours for the entire tournament.

1LeBron James

MINS: 24.3
PTS: 14.2
REB: 6.8
AST: 8.5
STL: 1.3
BLK: 0.3
FG%: 66.0
3P%: 33.3
FT%: 73.3

The MVP honours, however, were awarded to the oldest guy on the team, 39-year-old LeBron James.

Widely regarded as arguably a top 10 current NBA player, LeBron took the mantle of team captain in Paris, and led by example on and off the court. That measly top 10 ranking now seems laughable, as their are few players in the world you would want to lead your team over LeBron, particularly among the exclusive American crop without Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.

With prime-age athletes like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards and Joel Embiid initially expected to run the show for Team USA, it was LeBron who stamped himself as the best player on the team, at times looking like the quickest and most athletic player also.

His triple-double in the Serbia semifinal was the second ever in Olympic history for Team USA, backing up his own record from 2008.

He is a legendary player showing that he is still legendary, and still capable of grand success in a functional NBA organisation, should he be given the opportunity.