A few days ago, Joel Embiid expressed his belief that the overall age of the USA team players is too high, suggesting this could be a significant hurdle in their pursuit of a gold medal. He also opined that the team’s abilities are overestimated due to their advanced ages.
Embiid’s comments sparked considerable debate, yet within the team, some agree with his perspective. Kevin Durant, while arriving in France for media interviews, acknowledged that he is aware of what Embiid said and considers it truthful. “Our team does have an older average age, with various injuries, but we’ll strive to perform efficiently like Embiid does in overcoming injuries,” he stated.
However, Stephen Curry, sitting next to Durant, seemed unaware of the situation until then. He asked Durant about the entire context of the event. Subsequently, Curry concurred with Durant’s statement, adding that the team indeed needs to rely on younger players.
A week prior, Embiid commented, “The USA team is talented, but other teams are also talented. The key point to remember is that most of our players are older. LeBron James is not the same as he was a few years ago. People shouldn’t be misled by their fame; they’re not the same as before.”
Objectively, the USA team does have several older players. Data indicates that seven players are above 30 years old, such as Derrick White at 30, Anthony Davis at 31, and Jrue Holiday at 34. Yet, during the preliminary games, age didn’t seem to be a significant issue for the team. For instance, the oldest player, LeBron James, averaged 14.6 points and 3.8 assists per game.
When asked about Embiid’s remarks later, Steve Kerr, the USA team coach, responded, “I really don’t think Embiid’s statement is a big deal. It’s a fact that LeBron is 39 and Curry is 36, but that doesn’t change the reality that LeBron remains an outstanding player. He took control of the last two games.” “This team has a balance of age and experience, and now, the priority is to unite and elevate our team competitiveness to a higher level,” Kerr continued. “We definitely have the capability to achieve this.”
The USA team’s first Olympic game will take place on July 28th at 11:00 PM, against the Serbian basketball team.