After a flawless exhibition slate, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis and the rest of the Team USA roster made their way to France for the beginning of the 2024 Olympics.
LeBron James and Davis have served as the backbone for the national team as they each made a case to be the best player on the roster. James in particular has looked rejuvenated playing for Team USA again and was granted the honor of being a flag bearer for the USA during the Olympics’ opening ceremony.
While Davis came off the bench for the Americans in the showcase games, his two-way impact on the floor was noticeable as he routinely made plays to help the team win. Head coach Steve Kerr emphasized Joel Embiid will remain the starter, but Davis has a legitimate case to be the closing center during tournament play.
Team USA is considered the heavy favorites to take home the gold, but Davis said the program isn’t taking any country for granted the next few weeks.
“We don’t take any team for granted,” Davis told reporters on Thursday. “We don’t come in like, ‘Oh, we’re the Monstars. We’re going to crush everybody.’ Those days are long over. We have so much respect for every team we’re going to face, and we’re going to approach it that way.”
The level of international play has gotten exponentially better since Davis last played for Team USA as several countries boast multiple current NBA players on their roster. Countries like Canada, Germany and Serbia pose threats in tournament play, and Team USA was already challenged by up-and-comers like South Sudan in exhibition play.
Despite all the talent on the roster, Team USA needs to be careful as it only takes one loss to ruin their hopes of winning a fifth-consecutive gold medal once the elimination rounds begin. However, Davis has looked great in international play so far and he’ll be counted on to play big minutes once the Olympics officially begin this weekend.
Lakers’ Anthony Davis says Team USA role reminds him of his time at Kentucky
On a stacked Team USA roster, Anthony Davis doesn’t have to do much heavy lifting offensively and can instead focus on locking thing down on the defensive end. In fewer minutes, Davis is able to go all out in his stints which has resulted in some brilliant defensive performances.
In fact, Davis’s defense-first role on Team USA reminds him of his time at Kentucky.
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