MIES (Switzerland) - Start. Bench. Cut. The game is simple, but the choices? Brutal. Every round, we put three legends into the spotlight - and you decide who runs the floor, who waits their turn, and who’s left out.
To start things off, it doesn’t get bigger than this: Stephen Curry (Paris 2024). Kobe Bryant (Beijing 2008). Kevin Durant (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2010). Who you got?
Stephen Curry, Paris 2024
After making 5 of 20 shots from deep and scoring just 29 points in the USA's first five games - all wins - the baby faced assassin buried 17 of his last 26 attempts against Serbia and France to lead the Americans to gold. In the 95-91 triumph in the Semi-Finals, "Chef" Curry poured in an epic 36 points, scoring 20 in the first half to keep the USA within striking distance with Serbia opening up an advantage of 17 in the second quarter. He put up 14 shots from deep and drilled 9 of them, including the last which gave the USA their first lead since the opening quarter.
His standout sequence in the Final happened after Frenchman Victor Wembanyama's put-back dunk had trimmed the American lead to 3 points. Curry, who had 24 points in all, replied with 4 3-balls over the next 132 seconds, including is "golden dagger" in the last minute - a shot he ranks as No. 1 in his career.
Kevin Durant, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2010
Kevin Durant revealed himself to be one of the best in the world, leading the USA to the Naismith Trophy in Istanbul. In his first tournament with USA, Durant, averaging 22.8 points per game for an American side that needed his scoring. He was so good, so impactful, so consistent that picking his best game is a challenge. In a 70-68 win over Brazil in the Group Phase, KD was 4 of 6 from deep and had 27 points and 10 rebounds.
In the 89-74 Semi-Final victory over Lithuania, Durant nailed 5 of 12 from long range and finished with 38 points. Durant then signed off with 28 points (7 of 13 3-point range) in a 81-64 blowout of Türkiye in the Final.
Kobe Bryant, Beijing 2008
The Black Mamba, perhaps as a "thank you" to the Chinese fans that cheered his every move on and off the court in Beijing, had a legendary Olympic moment late in the Gold Medal Game against Spain. Rudy Fernandez fouled Kobe as he sank a long 3-pointer, and he went to the line and made the free-throw to effectively clinch the gold. It's true that the Redeem Team was stacked, with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Chris Paul, along with Kobe, giving it an unbeatable look.
Yet without Kobe's heroics in the Final, and his 20 points, Spain might have eked out a victory. Kobe, who had 25 in the Quarter-Final triumph over Australia, averaged 15 points per game.
FIBA