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Much has been made of the star-studded unit Team USA has put together for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Without a considerable sample size, some already view the LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant-led roster above legendary teams like the 2008 'Redeem Team' and the 1992 'Dream Team.'
In this article, we break down the potential outcome if the 2024 team could prevail against the 2008 'Redeem Team,' which only featured one player from this year, LeBron James. The other stars on the team were the late Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.
Team USA 2024 vs. Redeem Team 2008 Rosters
Before we break down this hypothetical matchup, let's look at the USA Men's Basketball rosters for the 2024 and 2008 Olympic runs.
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The 2024 Team USA is an exceptional two-way team filled with talents who can work their magic on both ends of the court. It includes multiple high-efficiency scorers and shooters with impressive length and size to stand their ground defensively.
Meanwhile, the 2008 'Redeem Team' featured players of similar caliber. However, spacing was an issue with that team as the 3-ball explosion was yet to influence the game back then. Both teams boast a good mix of youth and experience.
While the 2024 USA Team has multiple players with ample FIBA experience, they lack the chemistry to play together as most are teaming up for the first time.
The 2008 team, meanwhile, spent a considerable amount of time together as most players appeared for the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. They won that tournament 10-0 to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Who would win between Team USA 2024 vs. Redeem Team 2008?
It's never easy to pick a clear favorite between two star-studded teams. Choosing between Team USA 2024 and the 'Redeem Team' 2008 is just as difficult. However, based on a few factors, Team USA's 2024 roster has a slight edge to win. Here's a breakdown of why the 2024 team gets the nod.
1) Depth
While both teams had some of the country's very best at the time suiting up, the 2024 team seemingly has the better star-depth and players that could be on the floor at any given point. The 2008 team ran a much tighter rotation with at least three players not seeing much playing time.
The 2024 Team will have at least 10 players in rotation. However, the two players likely playing a sporadic role could contribute more.
2) Modernized offense
Spacing is one of the key differences between the 2024 Team USA and any of the past gold-medal-winning teams. With at least 10 players who can comfortably shoot from all three levels, the 2024 team's offensive potential is unparalleled. The 2008 team had players who were more effective in attacking the rim.
However, with tremendous interior defenders in Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo, the 2008 team would have issues creating shots on the inside. All 12 players on the team can explode for a big scoring game, making the 2024 roster versatile enough to cope with the 'Redeem Team's' defensive schemes.
3) More experienced 'superstars'
Both teams have tremendous talent, but the 2024 roster has more 'experienced' superstars. LeBron James has played 21 NBA seasons and five FIBA and Olympic tournaments combined. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry have been in the NBA for 15+ years, too. Perennial All-Star talents Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are the only players with less than five years of experience in the pros.
However, the young duo has FIBA experience, having played in the 2023 World Cup in the Philippines. Barring Kobe Bryant, the 2008 roster's 'superstars,' including LeBron, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, were all relatively inexperienced, having played only five seasons or less in the NBA.
