Led by Los Angeles All-NBA combo forward LeBron James and All-NBA center Anthony Davis, Team USA survived a rollicking effort from Team Serbia in the semifinal round before barely hanging on to best All-Defensive San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and the rest of Team France in the gold medal match, at the 2024 Paris games.

During a recent episode of his show “The Big Podcast With Shaquille O’Neal,” the 7-foot-1 big man relayed his disappointment with Team USA’s underwhelming run.

O’Neal may have tuned out fairly early. It appears that he was particularly frustrated by a narrow 101-100 comeback victory over Team South Sudan in a July 20 exhibition game. James led the way with 23 points while powering the U.S.’s narrow rally. Davis scored 15 points and pulled down 11 boards as a reserve. At one point, South Sudan led by as much as 16 points, propelled by the efforts of former NBA journeyman point guard Carlik Jones, who notched a 15-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. Ex-Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Marial Shayok scored a game-high 25 points for South Sudan.

“I’m not even paying attention to the Olympics,” O’Neal said. “I have a dominant personality. I don’t care how you are, whatever. My cousin Kenny just had this argument upstairs. My cousin said, ‘The world is getting close,’ but I don’t think it is. The fact that [USA Basketball won an exhibition meeting with South Sudan 101-100], you only beat South Sudan by one. Come on, bro. That’s never supposed to happen.”

Armed with Kevin Durant, the Americans enacted their revenge when the games started to count in the pool play round, besting Team South Sudan 103-86.

The NBA game has truly expanded beyond the states. Three-time MVP Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and two-time Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, arguably the world’s two best players, suited up for Team Serbia and Team Greece, respectively. With 39-year-old James, 36-year-old Stephen Curry and 35-year-old Kevin Durant all presumably doomed to have aged out of their primes by the 2028 games in L.A., Team USA feels like it be more vulnerable than ever.

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