PARIS (France) - USA are gunning for a fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics. France, for the second Summer Games in a row, stand in their way.
This time, Les Bleus have home-court advantage. It's the biggest and most important basketball game ever played in France.
Who do our experts think will prevail? Sometimes they are right, sometimes they're not. Read on to find out.
Jeff Taylor is a long-time FIBA writer, columnist and veteran FIBA Media play-by-play commentator.
Mark Clark is a veteran coach and long-time commentator for FIBA Media.
Carlan Gay is a veteran FIBA Media commentator.
Liz Mills made history as the first woman to lead a team, Kenya, to the AfroBasket and then coached the Morans at the 2021 event in Rwanda. She has held the reins of AS Salé and ABC Fighters in the Basketball Africa League, and coached Bangui Sporting Club to qualification for the BAL in 2023.
Mike Taylor is a veteran coach who held the reins of Poland for several years. Now at the helm of Winnipeg Sea Bears in Canada, he was the CEBL Coach of the Year in 2023. Taylor commentated alongside Jeff for FIBA Media at EuroBasket 2022 and at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila.
Shona Thorburn, a two-time Canada Olympic point guard, a coach at French top-flight side Basket Landes and a FIBA Media commentator.
France faced Germany twice at the Olympics and won the one that mattered most, the Semi-Final, 73-69. To be honest, only one of our experts - Jeff - saw France winning against Canada in the Quarter-Finals.
USA trailed by as many as 17 points against Serbia in the second Semi-Final yet battled back and took the lead for good with 2:24 remaining before winning, 95-91.
Who wins the gold?
France have been a different team in Paris
Mark: France have been a different team in Paris. Two huge wins. Coach Vincent Collet has to take lot of credit. The veteran coach faced a lot of questions in Lille. His changes to the line-up, the more open flexible offense, has been the foundation for the run to the Final. The quicker options at the forward position have made them a tougher team to guard.
Their performances and the way that Serbia came close to besting the USA will give France belief. In addition a home crowd that has really got behind the team.
USA have so many offensive threats
All that being said, the USA have so many offensive threats, have found the way to share the ball and get better as a team. Even Coach Collet will struggle to find the way to slow down USA. They have too much offense for France. The defense is relentless and ultimately got them over the line vs Serbia with the late run in the Semis. USA will be gold medalists again.
Liz: USA. Although the French are coming in with great momentum, USA have been tested by an amazing Serbian team which has prepared them for this gold medal match-up. USA to win comfortably.
Carlan: I don't think anyone can compete with the depth of Team USA. Serbia played as well as they could've and still came up short. The combination of LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant is just too much. And if they're off, you have Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid and Devin Booker to deal with. It's a never-ending conveyor belt of talent.
Shona: Even though France are playing on another level since arriving in Paris, I think USA just have too many weapons. USA will come out as Olympics gold medalists.
It took four NBA MVPs to get it done against Serbia
Jeff: It took four former NBA MVPs to get it done for USA against Serbia. That's how good Serbia were, and how tough international basketball is. The days when the Americans can show up with any team and not be supremely focused and still win are long gone. King James has been locked in from day one. Joel Embiid made shot after shot after shot. Steph Curry had his best game as a USA international. Kevin Durant came in and just threw in daggers.
How could anyone not pick them? This will be the biggest game ever played in France. Kerr v Collet. LeBron v Yabusele. Curry v Batum. Lessort v Embiid. Wembanyama v Durant. Jrue v Ntilikina. France have known this challenge was coming, and they've been getting ready.
The crowd, the emotion, the opportunity. Will Isaia Cordinier's Olympic form lead him to the NBA? France win gold in a squeaker.
Mike: USA is poised to fulfill the lofty expectations and claim the 2024 gold medal but Steve Kerr's USA team must overcome one last energized challenger in France. USA star-power and depth has been beautifully on display all with marquee players stealing the spotlight every step of the way, including Stephen Curry's sizzling 36-point effort in the Semi-Final win over Serbia.
USA has the guard play and athletic size to match the France "St-Eiffel Towers" frontcourt in the Olympic Gold Medal game and USA's willingness to play together has been their key to an unbeaten summer. Several close games in July preparation and August group play have prepared USA for the pressure possessions they will face in medal games to reach the Olympic podium.
Yabusele has emerged as the French emotional leader
An inspired French team after wins over Canada in the Quarter-finals and Germany in the Semi-Finals are rolling with momentum at the right time as they feed from the home-court advantage and home country passion. Guerschon Yabusele has emerged as the French emotional leader with an outstanding 17-point, 7-rebound performance against Germany after a team best 22 points in the win over Canada.
Sharpshooting Evan Fournier and Isaia Cordinier have also stepped up as Vincent Collet's excellent adjustments helped his team peak when it counts. Rising star Victor Wembanyana continues to show flashes of his fantastic potential leading the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, but the 20-year-old faces his toughest Olympic test yet against NBA bigs Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis.
USA are 7-1 all-time against France in Olympic action with the one "Les Bleus" win coming in August 2021 as France beat USA 83-76 in the Group Phase before USA took the rematch in the Gold Medal game with an 87-82 win. In a great 2024 Gold Medal game, I see USA being their best when it matters most in Paris, adding gold medal number 17 to the USA basketball trophy case.
Which player is the MVP of the Olympic tournament?
Mark: Nikola Jokic. He leads his teams across the stat lines, is so influential, makes his teammates better.
Mike: LeBron James. When USA win the gold, there can be fun debate about the most important player after different stars have stepped up each game. We have seen Steph Curry hit 3s, Anthony Davis attack the rim, Kevin Durant isolate for big buckets and even Joel Embiid shimmy after and-1.
However, there has been one consistent connector for this USA team averaging 14.2 points, 7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game - LeBron James is the team's MVP winning his third gold medal at 39 years of age. LeBron posted the fourth triple double in Olympic history with 16 points,12 rebounds and 10 assists against Serbia and became the first player to record multiple triple-doubles in Olympic history.
It's crazy that LeBron James is doing this at 39
Carlan: It's crazy that LeBron James is doing this at 39. He's been the best and most consistent player for the Americans on both sides of the floor. He leads the team in efficiency rating, points, rebounds and assists. It's just another accolade for the future Hall of Famer.
Liz: LeBron James - he has been the backbone of this team throughout this campaign. He knows how to get his team mates involved and steps up when required. His consistency on both ends of the floor is unmatched.
Shona: King James is the MVP.
So Isaia Cordinier is now in the MVP conversation with King James and the Joker...
Jeff: Isaia Cordinier. France's fortunes have changed dramatically since Collet began using him in a different role, since putting the ball in his hands. He had 20 points in the Quarter-Final upset of Canada, the team many thought would get to the Final, and 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the upset of Germany.
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