With The 2024 Paris Olympics quickly approaching, many of America’s best athletes are once again on display, here are some of the players and teams you should focus on as so many sports clamor for our attention.
The United States led the 2020 Olympics with the most gold medals, the most silver medals, the most bronze medals, and naturally the most total medals.
Paris Olympics 2024
Lebron James for The United States Men’s Basketball Team
It has been 20 years since future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Lebron James made his Olympic debut, when The United States shockingly won Bronze for the first and last time since 1988, and the only non-Gold performance since the allowance of NBA players in 1992, at the Barcelona games.
Since his 2004 appearance, Lebron has played in and won Gold at two Olympics, first at Beijing in 2008 and then in 2012 while representing the US at the London games.
At 39 years old, it is reasonable to assume this Paris Olympics will be Lebron’s final appearance.
As someone born in 2000, Lebron James really was Superman to many people of my generation, willing countless mediocre teams to the NBA finals, winning league MVPs, being a perennial All Star, and of course winning gold medals.
Lebron is obviously in the twilight of his playing career, while he continues to set records and break new ground on how we view age in sports, this will almost certainly be his last international tournament.
Lebron and the US Men’s basketball team will have their work cut out for them as international tournament play has gotten much more competitive
Katie Ledecky for The United States Women’s Swim Team
When you think of American swimmers you probably think of Olympians Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Ryan Locke (for better or worse), and of course Katie Ledecky, who began her olympic career at just 15 years old, when she competed in the 2012 London Olympics, making international headlines.
Currently Ledecky is 27 and having already won a record 7 Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals, is viewed by many Americans as one of the premier Olympians to follow.
It is important to note that in the 2020 Olympics, Ledecky was bestowed her first individual Olympic loss, when Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus defeated her in the 400 meter freestyle.
The aforementioned loss could indicate Ledecky’s stranglehold over women’s swimming is starting to lose its grasp, or that international competition is starting to catch up to her.
However, her world championship appearances following her 2021 Olympic appearance, have proved she is still a gold medal caliber competitor, winning 4 gold medals at the 2022 world championships, as well as 2 gold and silver medals in the 2023 World Championships.
Win, lose, or draw Ledecky is one of the main American attractions heading to the Paris Olympics, trailing Michael Phelps by one gold medal for most swimming medals ever, she has extra motivation to dominate once again, and should be an exciting watch as always.
Mens’ and Womens’ Olympic Beach Volleyball Teams
Every Olympics beach volleyball is one of the more popular events. Two players on each team representing their country, in a duel of endurance and athleticism, volleyball is an easy game to play, yet almost impossible to master.
What makes these players so interesting is that none of them are returning from the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Us viewers are lucky enough to watch these masters of mens, womens, and mixed volleyball play, displaying their mastery.
Gone are the days of Misty May-Trainor and Kerry Walsh Jennings dominating the sands for the womens’ events, and the US Men’s team is still looking for their first medal since 2008 (when the tandem of Phil Dalhauser and Todd Rogers won gold).
Beginning with the women’s teams; former LSU teammates Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are making their Olympic debut, looking to continue where the duo of April Ross and Klineman left off.
Ross and Klineman won gold in 2020, marking The US’ 4th gold medal in the sport since it was added to the Olympics in 1996.
Kloth and Nuss certainly have their work cut out for them, while they have been playing together since 2019, other teams have played in more tournaments. Despite other teams having played in more recent tournaments, they are still ranked second, trailing only the Brazilian duo of Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda “Duda” Santos Lisboa.
The other women’s duo making their way to the Paris Olympics is Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes.
The two 29 year olds are currently ranked sixth in the world with only 9 qualifying tournaments played, however for this team, its quality over quantity.
Cheng and Hughes are entering The 2024 Paris Olympics as the reigning world champions having won the 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, after they defeated Ana Patricia and Duda.
While these two teams are new to the Olympic stage, they certainly have the pedigree necessary to bring gold back to America.
As for the mens’ teams, they are still in search of their dynamic duo. The US men’s team never had the sustained excellence of May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings (who “three-peated” Olympic gold from 2004 to 2012), having only won gold three times since 1996, and are currently on the verge of a 16 year drought.
The men are sending four players, two teams of two, same as the women’s.
The duo heading to the Paris Olympics is 29 year old California native Andy Benesh and his 22 year old partner Miles Partain, who is the youngest US Olympic beach volleyball player in history.
The two Americans are currently ranked number 4 in the world and are hopeful that they can establish a winning foundation for the US Men’s team that hasn’t been seen since the turn of the century.
Other teams in the tournament are more experienced than Benesh and Partain, who are trying to win America’s fourth men’s beach gold medal, The US already has the most ever with 3, but once again two of those were in 1996 and 2000, the first two years of the sport being in the Olympics (after being tested in 1992).
The second American men’s team will be former NBA player Chase Budinger who turned to professional volleyball in 2018 after retiring from the NBA in 2017, and his partner Miles Evans.
Budinger was a journeyman in the NBA and has achieved the rare achievement of being a two sport professional athlete, joining the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Ainge, Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and more.
Budinger’s partner Miles Evans, is a 34 year old Santa Barbara California native, who has 9 international medals, including a FIVB gold medal.
Evans is on the down slope of his career at his age, and is finally a US Olympian, who can hopefully take home the gold, in likely his lone Olympic appearance.
Sha’carri Richardson for Women’s Track
American runner Sha’Carri Richardson made headlines last Olympics when she got suspended for violating the International Olympic Committee’s drug policy when she tested positive for marijuana. That was then this is now, and everyone wants to see Richardson prove there is more to her legacy than the aforementioned controversy.
Richardson has struggled at times in the always competitive track and field circuit since 2021, and will only compete in one individual event. After failing to qualify in other events, the 100 meter dash, where she is the reigning world champion, will be her lone chance to prove herself in individual competition this year.
Richardson has a spot on the women’s 4×100 relay team, given her name recognition and story of being suspended last olympics, I would still say her events, while limited, are appointment viewing.
At 24 years old, Richardson could be an American track staple for years to come.
Stephen Curry for The United States Men’s Basketball Team
Four time NBA Champion Steph Curry will finally be making his Olympics debut in 2024.
Curry was not selected in 2012 as he was still making a name for himself in the NBA, he chose not to play in 2016 after dealing with injuries sustained during his long MVP winning 2016 season, and opted out of the Olympics in 2021 due to the coronavirus.
Better late than never, as the 36 year old point guard will be making his debut, playing for his Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr whom he won all four of his championships with.
I am slightly concerned about the age of this men’s roster as stars like Steph Curry, Lebron James, and Kevin Durant (the most decorated team USA player ever) are all in the twilight of their careers, and the host country, France is loaded with young talent as is team Canada.
I’m curious if guys are going to prioritize the upcoming regular season over their international play, with most of the above mentioned players in their mid to late 30’s the intensity of an olympic run could be detrimental to their club play.
Curry himself has had injuries over the past few seasons, as his Golden State Warriors seem to be in an in-between stage, caught in the middle of their 2010’s dynasty and the future.
Steph and his soul stealing three pointers will be a welcomed addition for the gold medal favorite US Men’s basketball team.
If Curry and company do manage to win gold, a discussion as to whether he’s the greatest point guard of all time will surely be warranted, as international play has been the only aspect of the sport he has yet to master.
Diana Taurasi for The United States Women’s Basketball Team
Another American athlete in the twilight of their playing career is 5 time Olympic Gold Medalist Diana Taurasi of the women’s basketball team.
Taurasi made her first Olympic appearance all the way back in 2004 at the Athens Olympics in Greece, since then she has gone perfect the olympics, a 5-0 streak, headlining the ever dominant US Women’s basketball team for many of those.
At 42 years old, the California native is likely embarking on her last quest for gold, as her and her teammates pack for Paris.
Taurasi is fourth in career points for women at the Olympics, with Australian hooper Lauren Jackson on top. Jackson played from 2000 to 2012 and scored 575 total points in that span before retiring due to injuries shortly before the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
Taurasi has 414 career Olympic points so she trails by a lot, however it could be an exciting story if the pass first point guard gets close to Jackson’s record.
Some people were mad about Taurasi making the roster over WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark, which to me shows a clear lack of respect for the greatness of Taurasi, who will go down as one of the greatest basketball players.
Even at her older age she can still get it done. Taurasi is averaging 16.6 points per game which is 13th best in The WNBA, with an effective field goal rate of 50%, and a season high 31 points in a Phoenix Mercury (who she has played for since 2004) victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on June 2nd.
If Taurasi and the US win gold this year, she would have the most Olympic gold medals for an American basketball player regardless of gender.
If this really is the swan song for her, I hope it ends on a high note, another beautiful piece in the stellar symphony that is Diana Taurasi’s career.
A’Ja Wilson for The United States Women’s Basketball Team
One of Taurasi’s teammates, US women’s center A’ja Wilson of The Las Vegas Aces will be playing in her second Olympics after winning gold at Tokyo.
The 27 year old South Carolina native has made quite the name for herself since being drafted to Vegas as the first overall pick of the 2018 WNBA Draft.
Wilson has won two consecutive WNBA Championships (2022 and 2023), two WNBA MVP Awards (2020 and 2022), the reigning two time WNBA defensive player of the year, and a 6 time All Star.
A’ja is considered by most women’s basketball fans to be the best player in the world right now, and one of the most popular WNBA players.
For many people just getting into the “W”, after its recent surge in popularity, Wilson is most certainly someone to keep an eye out for.
The 6’4 power forward stands out every game she plays with her prowess on both ends of the court. Wilson is currently averaging a league best 27 points per game, is second in rebounds per game with 10.9, and a league best 2.6 blocks per game, playing her way into a very likely third league MVP Award.
For more on Wilson and Taurassi’s Paris Olympics teammates click here.
Simone Biles for The United States’ Women’s Gymnastics Team
Simone Biles is one of the marquee contributors of the US Women’s gymnastics team and is looking for redemption in this year’s Paris Olympics after failing to win gold in 2021.
Biles is one of the most popular American athletes going to the Paris Olympics this year, I’d argue most likely second trailing only Lebron James, she’s on cereal boxes, in commercials, non sports fans recognize her, and she is beloved by many.
Biles has been very open the past few years about her mental health struggles and suffering from “the twisties” in Tokyo. “The twisties” is a term used in gymnastics for someone stuck in a mental rut, other sports fans would call it “the yips”, as seen perhaps most famously with Chuck Knoblauch of Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees fame.
Due to the heightened exposure of the Olympics Biles’ struggles seemed to be more talked about, again non-sports fans and non-sports media companies were chiming in on the subject.
Simone Biles then took a two year hiatus to restructure her mental health and re-focus on her life. Biles is coming into the 2024 Paris Olympics, focused and determined to shush what 2021 detractors remain.
At 27 her “revenge tour” will see her leading the charge as the oldest US women’s Olympic gymnast to compete since Marie Margaret Hoesley in 1952. It seems likely that this will be Biles’ last Olympics and I’m sure the four time Olympic gold medalist will like to add to her resume.
Biles is the most decorated gymnast ever after winning last year’s World Championships, and will be competing in the all around, uneven bars, floor exercise, balance beam, and the vault.
Nyjah Huston for Men’s Olympic Skateboarding
For the second time skateboarding will be an Olympic event after debuting at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
While “the golden age of skateboarding” may be gone and once great household names like Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Chad Muska, Rob Dyrdek, Bucky Lasek, Jamie Thomas, Ryan Sheckler and Kareem Campbell are a thing of the past, left in the time capsule of the early to mid 2000’s.
Skateboarding has advanced in international culture, in thanks to the names above and countless other influential skaters, skating is seen as a legitimate sport rather than as a hobby that the hip-hop and punk rock listening high schoolers we all grew up with, did at the local mall.
One of if not the biggest faces of this new age of skateboarding is 29 year old Nyjah Huston, who has been at the forefront of skating since the late 2000’s and early 2010’s appearing in his first Tony Hawk video game in 2006 (“Tony Hawk Project 8”).
Huston is as close to being a prodigy as there ever has been in the sport, he’s what Tiger Woods was to golf, or Lebron James to basketball, sustained unrelenting dominance from a young age.
Huston has won twelve gold medals at the Summer X games from 2011 to 2019, won silver four times, and bronze three times. From 2010 to 2020 he won gold or silver at every skateboarding world championship for his discipline, street skating.
Due to the evolution of skateboarding in the 21st century many people have began to claim Huston is among the best street skaters ever, up there with guys like Jamie Thomas, Rodney Mullen, Daewon Song, Eric Koston, and others, now he has an opportunity to do something those forefathers never could, win an Olympic gold medal.
Huston failed to medal at Tokyo, but as he’s getting older and 23 years of high level skating are beginning to catch up to him, this will very likely be his last time at the Olympics win, lose, or draw.
Call me old fashioned, but I will always tune in to watch a master of their craft go to work, and Huston is certainly a master of skateboarding, among the best currently and historically.
For more on the Paris Olympics and other pop culture news check out RespectMyRegion.com .
