Kevin Durant takes part in a training session for the men's basketball team. GETTY IMAGES

American forward Kevin Dirant is still recovering from injury. He is looking for his fourth gold medal at Paris 2024. Teammate Joel Embiid sees a team with a lot of stars, but several of them are very old. And he also appreciates the talent of other teams at these Games.

The big favourites for gold in basketball are already in Paris. Lots of media attention. After the failure of the 2023 World Cup, the United States has once again put together a very strong squad.

Joel Embiid, the Cameroon-born center who has decided to play for the United States, is sending a message of caution. Some of his teammates are older and past their prime. LeBron James is 39, Stephen Curry, 36, Durant, 35, and Jrue Holiday, 34.

Durant doesn't care about age. The amount of talent in the team is enough for him to think they will win gold medal. It would be the fifth consecutive Games with the same result. Since the United States has competed with NBA players (Barcelona 1992), only in Athens 2004 did the colour of the medal change. It was bronze.

The team's feelings are good. That's what the players say when they refer to the atmosphere in training. This is not the NBA. Players who have been stars for many years are now part of the same team and enjoy a lot together.



That's the case with James and Curry. The two were born in the same hospital, in Akron, Ohio, but have never been on the same franchise. They have met four times in the NBA Finals. But they love being together with the national team. It's LeBron's last dance with the USA Team, and possibly Curry's too, having never been to a Games before.

Durant remains a doubt for the first game. The opponent will be the Serbia of Svetislav Pesic and Nikola Jokic. Sunday at 17:15 local time. US coach Steve Kerr sees Durant making progress. He hasn't played any warm-up games, but he will be important in the tournament. It would be his fourth gold, all in a row. The unbeatable star will be Diana Taurasi, who is seeking her sixth gold in Paris with the United States.

Before the opener against Serbia, there is the Opening Ceremony on Friday. The US basketball players will also attend the parade along the Seine, a different proposition to start the Games. They will then concentrate on Sunday's tough game, keeping an eye on Durant's fitness.