The US team achieved what it set out to do in Paris, defeating France in this weekend’s final to win its fifth consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball at the Olympic Games.
Stars like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant paved the way to gold throughout the tournament, although head coach Steve Kerr singled out Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker in his post-game press conference:
“Devin Booker is an incredible basketball player. Nobody asked for him. He was our unsung MVP. I just wanted to say that.”
– Steve Kerr on Devin Booker
Booker started every game for the undefeated U.S. team. Although he didn’t put up the high numbers he usually does in the NBA, Booker adapted to his role better than anyone else, according to Kerr.
“He’s probably the guy who’s been able to adapt the best to a different role in the NBA to play a new one here. He’s adapted to being a ball-moving guy. The offense works when he’s out there, the defense is really good,” Kerr said during the tournament.
This possession underscores Devin Booker’s value to the US team.
Steph tries to find space on a heater, makes two doubles and stops it, but the ball finds him because Booker immediately goes for it and makes everyone collapse.
Other game without this game
pic.twitter.com/FsXGnCs656— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) 10 August 2024
Booker also impressed his NBA colleagues:
Devin Booker might be having his BEST season yet considering his performance at the Olympics. He really did the dirty work
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) 10 August 2024
Book and AD were incredible throughout. Unsung heroes.
— andre (@andre) 10 August 2024
When the dust settled, Booker finished with a team-high +130 after 11 games.
Throughout the tournament, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per night.
Curry said Booker’s fourth-quarter three-pointer in the U.S. team’s semifinal against Serbia ultimately gave the Americans the win and put them on the road to success.
“When Devin Booker hit the 3 at the free throw line, I felt the momentum shift,” Curry said after the game.
Kerr was not the first to highlight Booker as the unsung hero of the US team:
“Let me tell you who the unsung hero was throughout the entire tournament. It was Devin Booker,” Kendrick Perkins said on Friday’s episode of First Take.
“Devin Booker was phenomenal. Devin Booker was in the game yesterday when it mattered most – and he played his role perfectly.”
Nice to see Booker getting his flowers.
