This year’s Team USA squad comprised some of the best players on the roster to bring home the gold in the Paris Olympics. Recently, Dwight Howard appeared on Gil’s Arena and was asked if this year’s squad or the 2008 Redeem Team would win in a seven-game series. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year went with the OG’s and cited his reasons.
Advertisement
“I’m going with our team. Well, we got a prime Kobe, we got young Bron, we got the bald-headed D-Wade. I’d go 08. We was young. We talking about Bron at 23, I’m 22, Melo at 24, Chris Bosh, at 24. Oh my god. It’s prime, this is their years. Wade at 26, bald-headed Wade, and Boozer was going crazy.”
2008 Redeem Team vs. 2024 Avengers, who’s winning that 7-game series pic.twitter.com/EEldv2cSJq
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) September 2, 2024
Howard pointed out the level of talent the 2008 Olympic squad had to offer. Not only were most of the players entering their prime but the team was led by arguably one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, Kobe Bryant.
The squad had the biggest stars from the 2003 NBA draft on the roster. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony all had solidified their names in the league with their respective teams, as well as Howard.
The ‘08 squad had Carlos Boozer who was in the last years of his prime but also featured a much taller and skilled Chris Bosh at the four. And it wasn’t just Howard who felt that way as Gilbert Arenas too agreed with D-12.
“Imma go with the ‘08. Cause everybody that was young would be dominating… See the problem is the young guys on 2024 weren’t playing like that. The young guys on this team was.”
And as the two giants seemingly agreed on their take, apparently so did the rest of the panel including Rashad McCants as well.
Howard’s performance at an international stage
Howard ended up being the youngest center on the Redeem Team back in 2008. The squad did have Tyson Chandler as the veteran big on the roster but Howard ended up performing exceptionally back then.
Superman averaged a little over 10 points per game, shooting .745% from the field. He followed Chandler’s lead to lock down the paint while on the defensive end and made sure to let the other stars take care of the offense.
This led Team USA to go on their gold medal run which stands at five now. But it was the Redeem Team that started the trend and the US hasn’t lost in men’s basketball while competing in the Olympics ever since.
