The U.S. men’s basketball team claimed their fifth straight Olympic gold medal on Saturday with a 98-87 win over France, and Team USA star Tyrese Haliburton is well aware he did not contribute to that gold-medal sealing final victory.
Haliburton, who did not play in either of Team USA’s wins in the semifinals and finals, posted a selfie on social media of him holding his Olympic gold medal with the caption, “When you ain’t do nun on the group project and still get an A.”
The 24-year-old only appeared in three out of six games for Team USA during their Paris 2024 Olympic run, totaling just eight points and two assists during his first career Olympic Games.
Haliburton’s production was reportedly limited due to a minor leg injury which Team USA did not announce. Haliburton did undergo an MRI for the injury, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
While Haliburton missed out on the chance to make a significant impact in this Olympic Games, he still rightfully takes home a gold medal. The U.S. men’s team took home their fifth straight gold medal, after also bringing home the gold medal at Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020.
Even if Haliburton was healthier, he still would have had to come off the bench during Olympic action. Team USA primarily utilized Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry as point guard, as Curry starred in his first Olympic Games. Curry, who was one of three primary starters for Team USA, ended up leading the team in scoring, averaging 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
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The positive for Haliburton is that at just 24 years old, Haliburton will have the opportunity to earn a spot on Team USA in multiple Olympic Games in the future, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. With stars like Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant unlikely to return for another Olympics, there will be more room for players like Haliburton to shine if they return.
Haliburton earned his spot on the 2024 Olympic squad after a breakout NBA season while playing for the Indiana Pacers. The former Iowa State standout made his second All-Star team after averaging 20.1 points, 10.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. Haliburton finished as the NBA assist leader, and led the Pacers back to the playoffs, where they went on a deep run.
Haliburton and the Pacers advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they wound up losing to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. Haliburton sustained a hamstring injury during the second game of the team’s loss to the Celtics and missed the rest of the series.
