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Was 2024 USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team photo doctored?

Social media sleuths noticed that Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum looked suspiciously taller... or did they?

Alan Goldsher

Is Paris ready for LeBron? And is LeBron ready for Paris?
Is Paris ready for LeBron? And is LeBron ready for Paris? / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, one of the first steps in prepping for the 2024 Paris Olympics was posing for a team picture. To their credit, the pre-Games photo looks scary…but in a good way.

Staring down a number of stellar national teams—i.e., Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Canadian squad, Luka Doncic’s Slovenia National Team, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greek National Team—USABMNT faces arguably the toughest challenge of any previous Dream Team, so it’s crucial that the photo in question is as imposing as possible.

The bad news is that the photo in question makes the squad, in some ways, seem less imposing. The picture has this star-studded ensemble looking, well, kinda short.

Here’s the roster, accompanied by each player’s listed height:

  • Bam Adebayo: 6’9”
  • Devin Booker: 6’5”
  • Stephen Curry: 6’2”
  • Anthony Davis: 6’10”
  • Kevin Durant: 6’10”
  • Anthony Edwards: 6’4”
  • Joel Embiid: 7’0”
  • Tyrese Haliburton: 6’5”
  • Jrue Holiday: 6’3”
  • LeBron James: 6’9”
  • Kawhi Leonard: 6’7”
  • Jayson Tatum: 6’8”

Height-wise, some hawkeyed Twitter users aren't buying what USA men's basketball is selling:

Controversy with the numbers?

Since none of us were in the room with our tape measure during the photo session, we’ll have to eyeball the whole thing. Here are our five takeaways:

  • If Durant and Embiid had similar haircuts, they’d be pretty much the same height.
  • Adebayo and Davis are about a millimeter apart in size. And despite what the paperwork tells us, they’re probably both a hair over 6’8”.
  • Is Anthony Edwards a full inch taller than Jrue Holiday? Nah.
  • Even sitting down, James towers over Booker and Curry...especially Steph.
  • Soon-to-be Duke Blue Devil and teenage sensation Cooper Flagg isn't in the photo. But there's a 99.99999% chance he'll be there in 2028.

Speaking of Flagg, the 17-year-old not only hung with USABMNT during a practice, but at times, he even schooled them.

Flagg, for what it’s worth, is listed at 6’8”. Or 6’9”. Or 6’10." No matter the height it's the heart of these superstars that can't be measured.

That's what will matter most to take home the Olympic gold medal.

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Alan Goldsher
ALAN GOLDSHER