Lakers’ $175 Million Superstar Shines for Team USA in Win

The Summer Olympics in Paris are right around the corner, and while Team USA men’s basketball might still have some kinks to work out, one thing they probably don’t have to worry about is having a dominant post player.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar center Anthony Davis showed he might be able to handle that role on his own after he grabbed the spotlight with 17 points and 14 rebounds in just 18 minutes in a 98-92 exhibition win over Australia on July 15 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

It was the second exhibition win over another medal contender for Team USA in the last week following a victory over Team Canada in Las Vegas.

“Perhaps most important, Anthony Davis displayed why he’s such a vital player to the American effort,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote. “His presence on the inside was a difference in the outcome as he had 17 points and 14 rebounds in just 18 minutes while playing some strong interior defense.”

Davis, who signed a 3-year, $175.37 million contract extension in Aug. 2023, is one of two Lakers on Team USA alongside forward LeBron James.

Team USA has three more exhibition games on the schedule ahead of the Olympics; July 17 against Serbia in Abu Dhabi, July 20 against South Sudan in London and July 22 against Germany in London.

AD: Former No. 1 Overall Pick, Olympic Veteran

Davis was the No. 1 overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2012 NBA draft after leading the University of Kentucky to an NCAA championship in his one college season, when he was also named Final Four Most Outstanding Player, National Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year.

Davis was selected to play for Team USA in 2012 before playing his first NBA game and was part of the team that went undefeated in the London Olympics and won the gold medal playing alongside James and the late Kobe Bryant.

In the last decade, Davis has been one of the NBA’s most decorated players as a 9-time NBA All-Star, 5-time All-NBA Team pick and 6-time NBA All-Defensive Team pick. Davis also won an NBA championship for the Lakers alongside James in 2020. Davis was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

When Davis’ current contract runs out following the 2026-27 season, he’ll have accumulated $485.1 million in career earnings.

Who Are Other Post Players for Team USA?

Davis played for Team USA in the 2014 FIBA World Cup and returns after a decade away for the 2024 Olympics, where the team is trying to win its fifth consecutive gold medal.

He’s also one of three centers on Team USA’s roster in 2024 alongside 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.

Embiid is a 7-time NBA All-Star and 5-time All-NBA Team selection playing in the Olympics for the first time — he was born in Cameroon and became an American citizen in 2022. Adebayo is a 3-time NBA All-Star and 4-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection who is trying for his second Olympic gold medal after playing with Team USA in 2020.