WNBA Recap: Golden
Wassup y’all! Ya boy (it me, ya boy) is back with another recap. This time, we’re highlighting what was an unbelievable 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Overall, the Olympic Games were the spectacle we have known them to be. From an outstandingly visual opening ceremony, to all the old and new events, the two weeks in August were fantastical in every way. When it comes to hoops, both US National Basketball Teams did what was expected—win gold—even if the results were somewhat unexpected.
Both teams defeated the host nation, France’s, teams in their respective gold medal games. And in both contests, Team USA found itself in an intense battle. In the women’s game, France held a ten point second half lead, before players like A’ja Wilson (MVP of the event) and Kahleah Copper took over in the fourth. That game came down to France’s Gabby Williams, a former WNBA player, hitting a shot with her foot on the three-point line, causing France to come up on point shy of tying the game in the final seconds.
On the men’s side, the final two games of the knockout phase required the heroics of all-time great and first-time Olympian Steph Curry to both wow spectators and secure victories on the path to gold. In those two games, Steph hit a combined 17 threes, including one over two French defenders (with both Kevin Durant and LeBron James wide open) to seal the win. He celebrated with his signature “night night” gesture and have basketball fans something spectacular to behold and remember for a long time. This was the men’s fifth-straight gold and the women’s record eighth-straight.
International basketball is tricky for American basketball fans. On one hand, we would like for the game of basketball to extend worldwide and see just how good players from other countries are and have become. On the other, there seems to be a desire to be forever dominant in hoops that extends beyond patriotism. Meaning, if Team USA struggles to win or even lose, there is a panic that causes the country to want to assemble like the Avengers not just to win but to eradicate any notion that any other country could ever defeat America in basketball. From my personal perspective, I don’t need USA basketball to be imperialistic in its approach to international basketball. To me, it is more than okay for Team USA to not field all of its legends and try to ensure that every game is won by at least 20. We acknowledge that factually, the rest of the world has all but caught up from a talent standpoint. The past five NBA MVPs were not born in the United States. That only scratches the surface for how much depth of talent is abroad. The USA only had one First-Team All-NBA player representing. And whether or not you agree with if he should have played more in the Olympics, the fact remains that it is clear the top talent on the Association is worldwide.
And that is a good thing, even if it means there will be fewer gold medals going forward. One thing is for sure, 2028 will be yet another incredible time for global hoops.
Post-Olympic Till Takes!
- The W returns August 15th. So here is a reminder that the New York Liberty have the best record at 21-4, with the Connecticut Sun behind them at 18-6. Every team has 15-16 games left in the season, so the action will be intense and there will be a race to the playoffs.
- This is the Season of A’ja. Her leading Team USA to gold is just another accomplishment in a year that surely see her accumulate more awards.
- Speaking of Team USA, it was great to see both Brittney Griner return to the podium as well as Diana Taurasi receive her sixth gold medal, especially after Taurasi did not play in the gold medal game. The 42-year-old legend understood that she is there to help usher in the current and next wave of stars and she did not get in the way of that. As for Griner, her tumultuous time in Russia surely has such an effect on her that it was good for her to have some basketball joy.
That’s it for this recap! Let’s jump back into the W and we’ll catch up later!