‘Wrong player': Former NBA All-Star rips LeBron James' MVP win; Captain LeMerica announces LA2028 status
Third-time gold-winning Olympian LeBron James just sang his swan song at Paris 2024, but this former NBA All-Star is bent on pushing a different agenda.
As Team USA coach Steve Kerr called it, Stephen Curry reeled in a “storybook” ending for the US men's basketball team on Saturday, bidding “Night Night, France" to the Olympic host in a 98-87 final victory, again proving his leading stance as the greatest shooter ever. But he didn't do it all alone.
The champagne-popping moment was unlike any other, with some of the biggest basketball talents, especially the golden trio of Captain LeMerica, Chef Curry, and Slim Reaper (Kevin Durant), breathing out the Avengers-level on-court action to life in Paris.
Team USA's victory over France finished with LeBron James, now a three-time Gold medalist, being named the Men's Basketball Olympics MVP. But as the four-time NBA champion added this honour to his trophy case, some in the basketball community weren't as happy to see the title slip away from The Golden Boy.
Former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury, who attended the final showdown in Paris, stood in major disagreement with James' MVP win.
“They gave the MVP to the wrong player. Maybe they called out the wrong name by accident,” Marbury exclaimed on Instagram. His remarks gained attention on a basketball page, which shared a heart-stopping video of Curry shooting a nearly impossible shot. At the same time, Marbury is initially heard distantly disapproving of the choice in his live commentary. (The post has been deleted since.)
“I think we need to try to rewind ⏪ the moment when @stephencurry30 displayed himself as the best shooter who ever touched the ball. In international ball, if you can’t shoot, you can’t have the ball at the end of the game," the former NBA star added.
Also read | Mallory Swanson's husband Dansby pays sweet tribute to her after USWNT's Olympic win, ‘You are truly…’
“I get LeBron is the King to many, but let me say this: when you give him what he doesn’t deserve, you basically say that because of what he’s done, he should receive such a high honour on the biggest stage. No, he didn’t earn it this time,” he concluded.
Fans react to Stephon Marbury dissing LeBron James' MVP win
While several fans agreed with Marbury in the comments, others mocked him on the other side of the internet for “hating” on James' win.
“There should be no doubt in anybody's mind, Steph Curry is the best basketball player on the court. I know people love Lebron but let's not get it twisted, Curry won the Gold for USA,” someone responded to Marbury's post. Another Curry-truther said, “The most incredible shot! Simply the undisputed best shooter ever!”
Elsewhere on X, formerly Twitter, a fan slammed the former NBA standout for being critical of James' MVP win: “Dude sound like a Twitter troll.”
Another group of fans, recognising the long road to the men's basketball final, hailed James as the rightful winner of the title. “How hard is it for people to understand that the MVP is for the entire tournament?” someone commented on X.
In the final game, Curry accumulated 24 points, five assists, two steals, and one rebound over 30 minutes, making it rain three-pointers. Meanwhile, James scored 14 points, 10 assists, two steals, and one block over 32 minutes, with a game-high assists tally.
Also read | Jordan Chiles' sister accuses Olympics of ‘racism’ after American gymnast stripped of bronze medal
Was Paris 2024 LeBron James' Olympic swan song?
Nothing could taint James ' golden glory regardless of what Marbury, or anybody else says.
With another Olympic dream in the bag, James officially dropped the perfect nickname for the “redeem team”: “The Avengers.” It goes a long way, coming from Captain LeMerica himself. However, Paris 2024 might have been the last time the 39-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar assembled the Avengers.
The next Olympic chapter, to be hosted by Los Angeles, will be held in 2028, calling for James to suit up in his 40s. In a post-game interview, he revealed his plans for the next Games, leaving his fans with a bittersweet memory. “No, I can't see myself playing in L.A., but I also didn't see myself playing in Paris. Four years from now, no, I can't see myself (playing at the Olympics),” Reuters reported his response.