USA vs France Basketball: Who is the Top Scorer Leading Up to Olympics Gold Medal Game?

USA vs France Basketball: Who is the Top Scorer Leading Up to Olympics Gold Medal Game?

August 10, 2024

The journey that started at River Siene is about to come to an end for the United States and France. As both countries prepare for their highly anticipated Olympic gold medal showdown, top scorers LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama lead their teams into battle, with only one hope: the Gold medal. Both countries have faced immense pressure at every stage. It truly will be a game to watch out for, which even the US HC Steve Kerr looks forward to. “I think it’s going to be one of the most fun games I’ll ever be a part of”, Kerr exclaimed. But going into tonight’s final showdown, who is the top scorer on both sides?

On the US’s roster, it’s LeBron James, without a doubt. The 39-year-old Team USA forward has managed to average 14.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. He has could achieve this by going 5.8-8.6 with his field goals, 0.6-2.2 with his three-pointers, and 2-2.8 with his free throws. His top performance emerged in the very first game when he dropped 21 points against Serbia.

On France’s side, the 20-year-old Wemby has averaged 13.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. His shooting skills also remained on par, as he averaged 4.8-12.8 field goals, 1.6-6 three-pointers, and 2.6-4 free throws. Yet, neither Wemby nor Bron are the top Olympic basketball scorers this year.

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LeBron and Wemby only rank 20 and 21when comparing all the players who participated in the men’s basketball games in Paris. In such a situation, the ‘Greek Freak’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 25.8 points per game, would occupy the top position. And how can we forget Canada’s shining star, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, with 21 points?

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USA Today via Reuters

Both the players haven’t always led the offensive charge. As Wembanyama faltered in the two recent games against Canada and Germany, Guerschon Yabusele came out on top with an efficiency rating of 22 and 21, respectively. Furthermore, while LeBron James could close the gap during the recent Semi-Finals game, he was merely assisting Stephen Curry, who dropped a jaw-dropping 36 points by going 9-14 with his three-pointers.

One player brings in years of experience, both in domestic and international basketball, to help him dominate. His rival, meanwhile, is amongst the youngest athletes at the Paris Olympics, having already secured one Olympic medal at the age of 20. When they meet in the next few hours at the court, it will be nothing short of spectacular!

Can LeBron James and Stephen Curry beat Victor Wembanyama and co on their home turf?

When LeBron James last played in the Olympics back in 2012, the French squad was not quite impressive. Since then, however, they have won one silver medal at the Olympics, three medals at the EuroBasket series, and two bronze at the FIBA World Cup. Plus, it doesn’t help that the game will be taking place on his rival’s home turf, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, which will have the French booing and jeering at their every move. However, it is a challenge that the three-time Olympic medallist is happy to face.

“Super competitive,” said LeBron when describing the French team. “You know, they’ve been playing together for a while. Obviously, this is Wemby’s first Olympics, but that team’s been playing together for quite a while. They’ve been feeding off the crowd, so we’re looking forward to that matchup.”

Till now, the Team USA squad hasn’t had much trouble with the crowd. The only exception to that has been Joel Embiid, who allegedly gave the French a reason to hate him by aligning with LeBron James and co.

However, with the Paris crowd set to root for their national squad, each American player will receive the ‘Embiid treatment’ for a few hours. Realizing that this advantage will heavily favor his rival, Stephen Curry has prepared himself to deal with it.

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via Reuters

“We’re expecting them to play the game of their life,” said the Golden State Warriors star. “They’re going to have the home-court adrenaline, they’re riding a big momentum after these last two games. We’ve got to expect them to play great, but we expect that from ourselves as well.”

Who are you rooting for? Team USA or France? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.