Team USA is heading to the 2024 Olympics undefeated.
That's all history will remember - but those in attendance at the packed-out international exhibitions in London will know just how perilously close USA basketball came to back-to-back defeats.
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Steve Kerr's team - made up of NBA megastars - flirted with defeat against relative basketball minnows South Sudan on Saturday.
Their blushes were only spared when LeBron James made a game-winning layup with eight seconds to go.
Two nights later, The King came to the rescue once again against world champions Germany in what was Team USA's final tuneup game before travelling to Paris.
Germany led 71-68 at the end of the third quarter before James, who will be a flagbearer for Team USA at Friday's Olympic Games opening ceremony, inspired the impressive comeback.
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The 39-year-old got scorching hot, scoring 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter which included a huge dunk to take the lead and a 3-pointer to effectually ice the game with 1:26 remaining.
Team USA have otherworldly talent at their disposal and can overwhelm most opponents by constantly throwing different waves of stars at them.
Kerr is blessed with unparalleled depth and has the fortune of being able to change his entire starting five at any given moment and replace them with MVP, All-Star and All-NBA calibre players.
Team USA are clearly the most talented roster in international basketball, capable of out-shooting, out-running and out-jumping any team they come up against.
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On the evidence of their recent warm-up games, they're also capable of complacency against weaker opposition and taking their foot off the gas when leading.
According to Kerr, that's because Team USA lack the 'continuity' of other nations who have been playing together for years.
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Many international players grow up together playing FIBA rules, usually with the same roster and team systems that will be heading to the 2024 Olympics.
Overcoming teams with less talent but more cohesiveness and understanding, not just of each other, but of the rules themselves, will be one of Team's USA team's biggest challenges at the 2024 Olympics according to Kerr.
"I'm pleased with our progress but I know we can get better," he told a team of reporters, including talkSPORT.
"Part of the deal with USA basketball is you're putting a team together very quickly. And we have a higher ceiling than other teams - [but] they have the advantage of continuity.
"Germany have been playing together literally since they were little kids.
"So that's the challenge for us is to keep making strides, but I love these guys - they're all committed, they're all unselfish. We've gotta continue to connect the game and get a little more flow offensively but I think we're going to get better and better."
Kevin Durant, who did not play in London as he recovers from a right calf strain, echoed Kerr's sentiments.
"[Other] teams [have] been together for [the] last six to seven years," the Phoenix Suns star previously said.
"It felt like these guys have played together in amateur programs up until their pros.
"And that's not the kind of formula we have here in the United States, but we got athleticism, length, size, IQ, and you put that all on the floor with great coaching, I think the chemistry [will] build pretty fast."
"We're playing basically to their rules," Anthony Davis added. "This is something that, when they're not playing the NBA, or before they were playing the NBA, [they played this way]. ... We're coming into their territory, but it's something that a lot of us have done before."
"It'll be fun. I mean, they come into our league and get adjusted to our rules. And so now it's our turn to go into theirs."
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The USA are targeting a fifth consecutive men's basketball gold medal at this summer's Olympics. They will look to emulate what Michael Jordan's Dream Team did in 1992 and what Kobe Bryant's Redeem Team achieved in 2008.
The vastly improved international stars and nations will likely have something to say about that, though.
Familiar NBA faces like Victor Wembanyama (France), Nikola Jokic (Serbia) Josh Giddey (Australia), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) will not be lining up before tip-off to take photos of Team USA like Angola did with the Americans in 1992.
Team USA's first group game of the 2024 Olympics will be against Jokic and Serbia on July 28.
They will finish the group stage with games against South Sudan on July 31 and Puerto Rico on August 3.
LeBron was Team USA's best and most clutch player in their two tuneup games in London.
The 39-year-old has achieved everything in the game yet continues to play at an elite level.
Kerr has been a longtime adversary of James but now they share the same mission of winning Olympic gold.
After spending time with The King recently, the Warriors head coach admits he is 'blown away' by James' infectious leadership.
"Pretty amazing," Kerr said of LeBron to a team of reporters, including talkSPORT, ahead of two exhibitions games in London.
"I'm just blown away by his effort, concentration and focus on every single drill.
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"He talks, you know even in a shoot around walkthrough his voice is behind the play, yelling out what's happening, laying out the scheme.
"His leadership by example, is incredible - I mean, I've known that forever but to see it up close is pretty special."
talkSPORT will be be bringing you live coverage of the Paris Olympics this summer. We will showcase more than 250 hours of live coverage across our network, with Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes among our legendary line-up of pundits. Listen to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, via the app, or through your smart speaker.
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