Team USA is not the only Olympic roster flooded with NBA talent. Team Canada, for example, is led by Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is one of the best players in the NBA and is hopeful to lead Canada to a medal in Paris. Among the teams he’ll have to go through are Team USA and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
The Olympic games are getting underway over the weekend after opening ceremonies took place on Friday. And in the meantime, players from all around the world are helping to put together content for their various teams. And as the star of the Canada roster, Gilgeous-Alexander is a main piece of their online presence.
Most recently, the Thunder star was asked to put together his perfect player for a one-on-one combining five important categories. Beyond James, Gilgeous-Alexander included Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and a pair of his Canadian teammates, via FIBA on Instagram:
Gilgeous-Alexander selected Bryant for his scoring ability, which is no surprise. Bryant is one of the game’s all-time great scorers and currently ranks fourth on the all-time scoring list. The other Laker he picked is James for his athleticism.
In his prime, James was easily the most athletic player the league had ever seen. And while he may not have quite the same burst, being as productive a player as he is at age 39 is a testament to how well his athleticism has translated over the years.
He finished out his perfect player by having Canadian teammates Andrew Nembhard and Lu Dort — also his Thunder teammate — for their passing and defense, respectively. Nembhard is an underrated playmaker and Dort is seen as one of the game’s best current perimeter defenders for the Thunder.
Finally, Chris Paul was chosen for his game IQ. Paul is a widely respected veteran and is one of the league’s best pure point guards of all time. He served as a mentor for Gilgeous-Alexander during his lone season in Oklahoma City.
LeBron James and CoCo Gauff serving as flag bearers
Lakers superstar LeBron James was chosen to be a USA flag bearer for the Olympic opening ceremonies on Friday. While this is the final Olympics for LeBron, this is the first Olympic trip for 20-year old tennis phenom Coco Gauff.
Gauff has taken the tennis world by storm over the past couple of years, winning her first singles Grand Slam in 2023 at the US Open and bringing home her first doubles Grand Slam earlier this year at the French Open. Now she is set to represent America at the upcoming Olympic games in Paris and has been bestowed another honor.
Gauff was chosen to be the female flag bearer for the USA, joining James in that honor.
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