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Grant Hill admits he thought Team USA might actually lose to Serbia during the 2024 Olympics in Paris
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- Grant Hill admits he thought Team USA might actually lose to Serbia during the 2024 Olympics in Paris
If one game defined an entire generation of players that has dominated the NBA over the past 15 years, it has to be the semifinal clash at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where Team USA came back to defeat Serbia.
It was a game in which Steve Kerr's squad found itself with its back against the wall, but despite everything they had already accomplished in their careers, they refused to give in. National pride was on the line and in the toughest moments, LeBron James , Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry delivered when it mattered most.
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The man who likely felt the intensity more than anyone was Team USA general manager Grant Hill , who now reflected on what may have been the greatest FIBA game ever played.
"The one thing I remember, like, you're competing and like the Serbia game, it was, all right, halftime, you know, we'll regroup," Hill said on "The Chris Webber Show".
"You know, it was a bit of a trap game because we had blown them out the two games before. But like, they got our attention. We'll regroup. We'll come out in the third quarter. And then midway through the third quarter, they got a bigger lead."
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"And then it's like the end of the third quarter, they've extended the lead. And so at that point, like, you're competing," he added. "You're like, all right, get this. You're watching because you can't do anything, but you're still competing. And then between the third and fourth quarter, that's when it's like, oh, we might lose. And then I'm thinking, if we lose, how am I getting these guys for the bronze medal game? Half these guys might leave."
Clash of Titans
Those are the moments players live for in do-or-die games and when you have superstars like LBJ, KD, Steph, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis and on the other side Nikola Jokic and no one is willing to back down — it's clear just how massive the stage was at that moment.
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Curry had struggled throughout the tournament before erupting for nine 3-pointers in that game. James delivered his second triple-double in Olympic history, while Embiid saved his best performance of the summer for a showdown against his biggest rival.
It was a test of an entire generation and their mentality, a team built to send a message that USA Basketball still sits at the top of the global game.
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"And so, to their credit, I mean, that fourth quarter was absolutely amazing. And they just willed that game," Hill recalled. "And, you know, obviously, it was everybody. Steph, Joel played big. LeBron, KD — like all those guys wouldn't let us lose. And it was an iconic moment."
"And here's the thing too. If we had blown them out and then maybe blown out France, I'm not sure if it would have meant as much," he added. "But the path and how it unfolded and how we won that gold medal, I think all those guys on that team, it means something because they know they had to really dig deep to get it."
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Greatest game in FIBA history?
That fourth quarter — which Serbia entered with a 13-point lead — may have been the best 10 minutes of basketball ever. In those moments, pride and legacy were on the line and contracts and accolades meant nothing.
It was a pure clash of basketball greatness — a true testament to just how special this generation is, even now at the back end of their careers.
It was basketball perfection. A peak we may not see again anytime soon, but one we were fortunate enough to witness.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the International section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
