The 2024 Olympic Games are in the books.
After Team USA cruised through their first five games of the women’s 5×5 basketball competition, the gold medal final against France proved to be the toughest of the Americans’ 61-straight Olympic wins. Nevertheless, the United States survived to claim an eighth-straight gold medal, leaving France with silver. Australia earned the bronze over Belgium.
Here are Swish Appeal’s final takeaways from the Paris Games:
Team USA is human after all
Yes, Team USA won the gold. The victory makes it 61 in a row in Olympic play and a record eight-straight golds. Still, the margin of victory was one point, leaving me wary of the future. Like a person barely making ends meet, we survived another month. But what about the next? France pushed Team USA to the brink, and in four years, where will the rest of the world be? I shudder to think about the 61-game streak ending on our land after accomplishing everything USA Basketball has over these last few decades.
Sunday night, Monday morning and maybe even a few days after, these women should celebrate as much as they’d like. However, if you needed a wake-up call that the rest of the world is coming, this is it. The men have already experienced this, losing games here and there and failing to win the gold in 2004. Let’s see how the women adjust so 2028 can be as successful as 2024. — Edwin Garcia
Leïla Lacan is WNBA-ready
France’s Leïla Lacan, the No. 10 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, wasn’t brought over by the Connecticut Sun this season. They view Lacan as a project, understandably so. She’s less than two months removed from her 20th birthday and would be the youngest player in the WNBA by nearly two years. Stashing her in France, rather than burying her underneath an experienced Connecticut bench, would stimulate Lacan’s development while the Sun retained her rights.
An impressive Olympic showing may accelerate her timeline. Lacan wasn’t a cornerstone of the French team, but they trusted her with meaningful minutes in meaningful games. She led France in plus/minus during their first knockout game against Germany, and finished the tournament with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Lacan proved that she’s mature enough to impact winning at a high level, and could see productive minutes off the Connecticut bench next season. Given her age, she has one of the highest ceilings amongst 2024 draftees. — Beckett Harrison
Emma Meesseman is still one of the best players in the world
Belgium is a country that has been on the rise in recent years, having qualified in its first-ever Summer Olympics in 2020 and finishing in fourth place in 2024, and Meesseman has been the fulcrum of that success. It’s been over a decade now since the skilled forward made her WNBA debut for the Washington Mystics, and though we haven’t seen her play in America since 2022 with the Chicago Sky, there’s no question that she’s still at the top of her game.
Meesseman finished the 2024 Olympics leading all players in scoring at 23.3 points per game while shooting the ball at the highly efficient clip we’ve come to expect from her (58.4 percent from the field). She was also one of three Belgian players (Julie Vanloo and Antonia Delaere the others) to average at least four assists per game in an offense that delighted fans with its versatility and overall selflessness—two traits that just as easily define Meesseman’s career as a professional. Meesseman has already proven she can win at the highest level in the WNBA, KBSL (Turkey) and EuroLeague Women, and her leadership of the up-and-coming Belgian national team may be her greatest feat yet. — Eric Nemchock
A’ja Wilson is HER
While having one of the best seasons in WNBA history, A’ja Wilson continues to be in full GOAT form after leading the United States to gold. As if there were any remaining questions about Wilson being the best in the W, the answer now stands with her being the best on the globe. A’ja and the women from the United States beat France in a 67-66 nail-biter as they claimed gold medals on France’s home turf, finishing 6-0 in Olympic play. Team USA has won eight-straight golds and Wilson is now up to seven gold medals of her own after yet another dominant performance for USA Basketball in international play.
Wilson finished top three in points, rebounding, blocks and efficiency, further cementing her dominance in what has so far been a masterclass of a season. I honestly couldn’t think of any argument against this legitimately being one of the best seasons for a player in the history of the league. Let’s see if her momentum continues and she can add a nice ring to it. — Myke Horrell
FIBA experience matters
There is a justifiable desire by women’s basketball fans and players in the United States to see our nation’s best be able to earn their worth by playing domestically, rather than having to go overseas for a deserved payday. The sustainability of Athletes Unlimited and the forthcoming debut of Unrivaled are indicators of the increasing viability of this project. However, to continue to triumph on the international stage, both at the Olympics and in the World Cup, Team USA needs to ensure that players have extensive experience playing by FIBA rules, which is best gained by suiting up for squads that participate in EuroLeague Women or EuroCup Women.
While not a prerequisite for success (see: Wilson, A’ja), it certainly has its advantages (see: Meesseman, Emma). For Team USA, Kahleah Copper, responsible for clutch fourth-quarter heroics, has more FIBA experience than many of her American teammates, having suited up for Çukurova Basketbol Mersin during the most recent EuroLeague Women season. Napheesa Collier, another crucial player for Team USA, also spent time playing alongside Meesseman for 2023-24 EuroLeague Women champion Fenerbahçe Alagöz Holding. In Paris, Team USA proved that they’re still the best. But to remain the best, our gals might need to continue to play outside of the US. — Cat Ariail
