The 1992 Dream Team set the standard for elite basketball at the Olympic games. However, fast forward to today, and the level of international play has been at par with the best of the NBA. Therefore, even if Team USA has the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and others at the Paris Olympics 2024, the gap has reduced. But Shaquille O’Neal does not think it was a good enough excuse.
The former league MVP was discussing Team USA’s performances so far. When co-host Adam Lefkoe talked about the gap in play closing down, O’Neal said:
I don’t care. So, what, I don’t want to hear that. That’s an excuse.
Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast
Then Lefkoe asked him what the minimum point differential by which the current Team USA should beat their opponents, Shaquille O’Neal replied:
20. If you don’t win by 20, I’m not impressed. Just think about it, you got the best players in the world on one team. They’re supposed to win. But if they don’t win by 20, people are going to talk about them.
Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast
The big man essentially shut down all talk of international play catching up. He was clear that even if they have good players on the other side, they are random.
As in, what the 4-time NBA champion is alluding to, is that none of the other teams have a collection of NBA stars like Team USA has. At the most, they will have 2 or 3 real superstars with teammates who are at best role players on NBA teams.
But Team USA has superstars from top to bottom. No other team has the leverage to pick and choose who to deploy. This is why, the Big Aristotle believes the close game against South Sudan in the friendlies should not have happened.
Team USA’s chemistry might impress Shaquille O’Neal at the end
Generally, any new player will need a few games to get accustomed to how his teammates play a game. But when it is superstars who have been playing for at least a couple of years, they develop a natural understanding of how to play with teammates. The same can be said about Team USA.
During the friendlies, they had to rely on LeBron James to bail them out of two games. In another game, Stephen Curry and his burst of scoring from deep ensured they did not struggle towards the end. But as they kept playing, the chemistry improved leaps and bounds. To the extent that the Americans are just 4 points away from topping the table at the Paris Olympics 2024 men’s basketball tournament.
That is even before they have played their final group game. Therefore, the chemistry has improved enough for Team USA to dominate teams by at least 20 points at this Olympics. Maybe they could continue or better that to the gold medal game. That will impress Shaquille O’Neal.
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