10 NBA players with the most riding on the Olympics
Olympic basketball starts Saturday, a tournament featuring perennial powers like Team USA to a Cinderella team from a new nation in South Sudan.Â
But beyond the countries’ quests for medals, the Olympics is a place for individual players to make, or cement, their reputations.Â
Here are the 10 NBA players with the most riding on these Olympic Games.
1. LeBron James, USAJames admitted in 2016 that Michael Jordan was “this ghost I’m chasing.” Jordan won six championships, which might be out of reach for the 39-year-old James, but James could beat Jordan’s two Olympic golds, won in 1984 and 1992, with a potential third gold this year, as his other came in 2008 and 2012. James has been the go-to guy for Team USA down the stretch, so he’ll get a ton of credit if the Americans win — and the blame if they lose.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, CanadaGilgeous-Alexander led Team Canada to its first Olympic basketball berth since 2000. His team beat out Team USA for the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup last year and is the No. 2 favorite to medal behind Team USA. If it does end up winning a medal, it would be Canadian basketball’s first since 1936. SGA is the best player in Canada and an NBA All-Star, but a big Olympic performance could launch him in a way that a Christina Aguilera-themed commercial never could.
3. Victor Wembanyama, FranceThe reigning Rookie of the Year might be the player most able to individually affect his team’s fortunes thanks to his blend of shot-blocking, shooting and passing. France has other NBA players like Rudy Gobert and Nic Batum, but the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama is the difference-maker. His team has struggled in warmup games, but no one will remember that if Wemby can bring home gold in his home country. He’ll go from being a future NBA MVP to a current national hero.
4. Kevin Durant, USADurant has a chance to set a record for men’s basketball by winning his fourth gold medal, if his injured calf muscle will cooperate. KD received unfair criticism for jumping to the Golden State Warriors in 2016, but it’s clear that the “Slim Reaper” thrives on a super team, whether it’s in the regular season or the Olympic Games. Bringing home another gold would be unprecedented for Durant, who also wants to validate Team USA’s choice to stick with him through his injuries.
5. Patty Mills, AustraliaMills is playing in his fourth Olympics as the elder member of an Australian generation of players that’s making a huge impact in the NBA. The Boomers have nine current or former NBA players, third behind just Canada and the USA, including recent lottery picks Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels. Mills scored 42 points in the bronze medal game at the Tokyo Games to win Australia its first ever basketball medal. Another medal would make him definitively Australia’s greatest international player.
6. Dennis Schroder, GermanySchroder was the flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies for the German Olympic team, partly because of his role leading his home country to gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. For a player who’s perhaps best known for “fumbling the bag” by turning down a huge long-term contract from the Los Angeles Lakers, Schroder has been a killer in international play. Paired with the Orlando Magic’s Wagner brothers (Franz and Mo), Schroder has a chance to redefine his legacy — as long as he doesn’t fumble a medal as well.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo, GreeceThe Greek Freak was injured for each of the last two NBA playoffs, which has made NBA fans underestimate the two-time MVP after the Milwaukee Bucks lost in the first round in 2023 and 2024. But Antetokounmpo might still be the best basketball player in the world when he’s healthy, and he appears to be so heading into the Paris Games. He and his Greek team have a brutal initial group alongside Germany, Canada and the world’s No. 2 team, Spain, but Antetokounmpo could deliver a big message by knocking off one or more of the powerhouses.
8. Nikola Jokic, SerbiaJokic is a three-time NBA MVP whose Serbian team made the FIBA World Cup final last summer without him. Now he’s back on the team and in a group with Team USA, South Sudan and Puerto Rico, where Serbia should advance. The only upside to Jokic’s early playoff exit with the Denver Nuggets is that he had an extra month to rest, watch horse racing and prepare to take out his NBA frustration on other national teams.
9. Rudy Gobert, FranceGobert gets to play in front of his home fans for the Olympics after a run to the conference finals with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Still, the most successful playoffs of Gobert’s career was marred by constant criticism of his defense even after he won Defensive Player of the Year. For France, Gobert needs to prove he can play offense alongside Wembanyama. Plus, after losing the gold medal game by just five points in Tokyo, Gobert wants revenge on Team USA, and all his critics.
10. Jayson Tatum, USAFor a guy who just won his first NBA title with the Boston Celtics, Tatum has spent the summer catching plenty of strays. Carmelo Anthony said Tatum didn’t have the “aura” to be the face of the NBA. Team USA’s Joel Embiid discredited Tatum’s championship by complaining that Tatum had a “super-team” around him in Boston. But the aging Team USA is going to need Tatum at some point in Paris. Would winning gold and an NBA title in the same summer finally silence his haters?
