LeBron James didn’t expect to get chalk powder in Kevin Durant‘s eyes with his iconic chalk toss ritual, but that is exactly what happened.
Ahead of Team USA’s game against South Sudan in London, Durant was standing close to LeBron as he was doing his chalk toss. The chalk would end up in his eye after the toss, leading to KD having a hilariously exaggerated reaction.
The chalk, despite KD’s antics, didn’t seriously affect or injure him. While he didn’t play in Team USA’s game against South Sudan, he is coming off an injury and he is expected to get his first minutes at the Olympics in Paris. As for LeBron James, he got to play hero in his career yet another time.
LeBron James had a great game for Team USA, as he put up 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. His most important bucket came at the end of the game, as he put up the game-winning layup to give Team USA the lead, narrowly escaping what would have been an embarrassing and confidence-shaking defeat to South Sudan.
James had a great response after the win, noting that he loves the late-game situations and close games far more than he likes blow-outs, as the feeling of victory is far more satisfying when you snatch it from the jaws of defeat.
Team USA will hope their struggles against a much weaker country, like South Sudan, is nothing more than an outlier, and not a sign of things to come at the Olympics. Regardless, this game shows that there are some aspects of their game that the squad and coaches need to work on going forward.
Who Can Stop Team USA From Going All The Way?
Team USA is considered the outright favorite to win the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This is the case almost every four years, considering the depth of talent the country has, but even more so this year because they are bringing some of the absolute best players in the league to the summer tournament.
Joel Embiid spoke about Team USA’s chances at the tournament and seemed to downplay their position as favorites. He noted that Team USA’s players are older now, and that other teams also have talented players. It appears Embiid isn’t confident in Team USA’s status as the favorites.
Regardless of what Embiid thinks, Team USA is considered the favorite for a reason. The nation is also a favorite walking into any tournament, as they play home to the best players in the world. But in the last few years, the best players in the world have refused to represent them in tournaments, as it eats into their off-season from the NBA.
But after their humiliating loss to Germany in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the players decided to commit to Team USA to show the world why they are considered the best. All this effort and grandstanding would look really foolish if Team USA were to fail at winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
