Is it better to be THE GUY on a regular team or a piece of the puzzle on a Dream Team?

Team USA has gathered in Las Vegas and is getting ready to chase the gold in Paris later this month.

Pablo Torre, Domonique Foxworth and David Samson led a discussion on the latest iteration of the Dream Team on Monday’s edition of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.

Pablo thought he was beyond being star-struck, but damn it, Kevin Durant has never looked cooler to him than walking into a ballroom in Vegas saying hello to all his Team USA teammates.

But do you think they can win the gold, that’s the question according to Billy Gil! All kidding aside, Team USA is currently a -390 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the gold. Will Joel Embiid sit out for the first game against Serbia, which we now have odds for on DraftKings Sportsbook? Is Giannis upset he’s NOT in that room? Actually, he was very emotional after leading Greece to qualify for the Olympics by beating Luka Doncic and Slovenia.

Domonique says that brings up an interesting question, however. Would these guys rather be the one guy on the team like Giannis or would they rather be on the latest Dream Team playing as a piece of the puzzle? Pablo says he thinks being on this specific team feels special because the people who are on it are actually the best players in the league who are American. They got all the big names this go around. There is something that makes him childlike in a way about seeing all these guys together. It’s not just a question every four year of whether they’ll win the gold medal or not, it’s an opportunity to get into this network where in the past offseason stuff has gone down. The league has been changed by things that happened while the league’s best were assembled under the Olympic rings for the Stars and Stripes. This is where superteams have been formed, where friendships are made that reshaped the league. Pablo says that Team USA at its best all adds to this notion that something special is happening and he’s really into it.

David says he thinks Giannis has more appreciation and more emotion for Greece than anyone in that Vegas ballroom has for the U.S. If he can get it done as “the only guy” for his country it would be so meaningful rather than being just another cog in a machine that is expected to dominate. Charlie Kravitz points out, however, what an honor it is for these guys to make this team. It means they are truly one of the best in the country amidst all the talent we have to offer. After all, this is Steph Curry’s first Olympics for crying out loud! So if you’re Anthony Edwards or Tyrese Haliburton, if you’re getting a chance to play with legends like LeBron, Steph or KD it’s incredibly meaningful.

Domonique also points out that this team is different than our last Olympic squad in 2021 for the Tokyo Games, where you did have some players there to play a role more so than perhaps being the absolute best of the best. On this team, Domonique, there are only guys who are already considered great or about to be entering that conversation.

Check out the full Best Of video above, and tune into The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network!

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