What Links the Saints and the Paris Olympics?

How do the Saints tie into the Paris Olympics?

Jul 31, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States guard Tyrese Haliburton (9) and center Bam Adebayo (13) fight for position with South Sudan small forward Nuni Omot (5) and power forward Wenyen Gabriel (9) in the second quarter during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Paris Olympics wrap up on Sunday, Aug. 11. The United States has performed well thus far, and they only look to build upon their leading medal count. Over 10,000 athletes are competing in 329 events, and while a good bit of them have already happened, there are more on the way. You might be asking yourself, how in the world do the New Orleans Saints have anything to do with this event? Here's some ties and connections that are certainly interesting.

New Orleans Saints Olympics Ties and Connections

13 different Saints could represent countries outside of the U.S. in the Olympic Games: Ugo Amadi (Nigeria), Equanimeous St. Brown (Germany), Lou Hedley (Australia), Paulson Adebo (Benin), Charlie Smyth (Ireland), Jacob Kibodi (Republic of Congo), Alvin Kamara (Liberia), Matthew Hayball (Australia), Anfernee Orji (Nigeria), Kyle Hergel (Canada), Oli Udoh (Nigeria), Tanoh Kpassagnon (Uganda), and Nathan Shepherd (Canada). It was previously 14 with Nouri Nouili (Germany), but he was waived.

Landon Young has a deep history with Olympic sports.. Six-year letterwinner in wrestling and four-year letterwinner in track and field in the shot put and discus...Won 2016 KHSAA state wrestling title, finished his senior year with a 19-0 record...Ranked as state’s top wrestler at 285 after finishing fourth in the state as a junior. He's a Three-time Class 3A track and field champion in discus, 2015 state shot put title and finished second in 2016 and was named the 2014 Gatorade Kentucky Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year. He was also the 2013 USATF National Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships runner-up in both the shot put and discus.

Landon Young wrestling. / Saints PR

Tyrann Mathieu attended LSU, who has six U.S. Olympians competing in Paris: Kaliya Lincoln (Artistic Gym), Taryn Kloth (Beach VB), Kristen Nuss (Beach VB), Brooks Curry (Swimming), JuVaughn Harrison (Track & Field - High Jump), and Sha’Carri Richardson (Track & Field - 100m). Like Mathieu, Nuss also hails from New Orleans.

Jake Haener is from the Bay Area, home to 22 Olympians across 14 different sports: Badminton, Basketball, Fencing, Gymnastics, Mountain Biking, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Skateboarding, Soccer, Taekwando, Track, Water Polo, and Wrestling.

Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams attended BYU, who has five U.S. Olympians: Jimmer Fredette (3v3 Basketball), Kenneth Rooks (Track), James Corrigan (Track), Conner Mantz (Track), and Clayton Young (Track).

Khalen Saunders is a St. Louis native, which is home to 8 U.S. Olympians: Jayson Tatum (MBB), Naphessa Collier (WBB), Tyler Downs (Diving), Patrick Shulte (Soccer), Brandon Miller (T & F - 800m), Freddie Crittenden (T & F - 110m Hurdles), Jayden Ulrich (T & F - Discus), and Deanna Price (T & F - Discus).

Paulson Adebo played collegiately at Stanford, who has 60 Olympians competing across 20 sports. Adebo played at Stanford from 2017-2020, when 23 of those Olympic athletes were also student-athletes in Palo Alto.

Zach Wood is a native of Dallas, which is home to 17 U.S. Olympians across ten different sports: Gymanstics, Golf, Rowing, Shooting, Soccer, Sport Climbing, Swimming, Track and Field, Trampoline, and Weightlifting. Wood played collegiately at SMU, located in the Highland Park suburb of Dallas, home of U.S. Olympic Golfer and 2x Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler.

Pete Werner was on the track team at Cathedral High School (Indianapolis) with U.S. Olympian Cole Hocker, who won the gold medal in the 1500m in Paris.

A.T. Perry is from the greater Miami area (Lake Worth Beach), which is home to 15 Olympic athletes across seven different sports: Judo, Sailing, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Water Polo. Team USA Flagbearer and reigning U.S. Open Champion, Coco Gauff, also hails from Miami.

Johnathan Abram and Willie Gay Jr. both played at Mississippi State when U.S. Olympic Javelin Thrower Curtis Thompson was also on campus (2017-2018).

Lucas Patrick attended Duke University, who has four Olympians competing in Paris: Chelsea Gray (WBB), Leah Crouse (Field Hockey), Jillian Wolgemuth (Field Hockey) and Jayson Tatum (Basketball).

Isaiah Foskey and Blake Grupe both played at Notre Dame, who has 10 athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics across six different sports: Women’s Basketball (2), Fencing (4), Rowing (1), Soccer (1), Swimming (1), and Track (1).

Cedrick Wilson Jr. attended the University of Memphis. Two Memphis natives, Harrison Williams (Track) and Seth Rider (Decathalon), are competing for Team U.S.A. in Paris.

Kool-Aid McKinstry attended the University of Alabama from 2021-23 where Matt King, U.S. Olympic swimmer, also attended Alabama from 2021-22.

Jamaal Williams is from Rialto, CA, which is 52 miles outside Los Angeles. There are 48 U.S. Olympians from the LA area across 19 sports. Top sports for LA natives include Water Polo (12), Track (4), Beach Volleyball (4), and Volleyball (4).

Jordan Howden is from San Diego, CA, which has 26 athletes competing across 18 different sports, including two-time 2024 Major winner Xander Schauffle.

Bryan Bresee attended Damascus High School outside of Washington D.C., which is home to 30 athletes across 14 different sports, including the most decorated female Olympic swimmer, Katie Ledecky, and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant.

Michael Jacobson played basketball at Iowa State (2018-20), where he was teammates with U.S. Olympian Tyrese Haliburton for three seasons. His best season was alongside Halliburton in 2018- 19, where he averaged 11.1 points per game and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game and helped the Cyclones reach the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

Khaleke Hudson went to Michigan (2016-19) and was on campus the same time as Olympians Adam Coon (Wrestling) and Charlie Swanson (Swimming).