2008 Redeem Team vs. 2024 Olympic squad: Who should be favored?

USA Basketball underwent major changes after an embarrassing 2004 Olympic effort in which it suffered three losses, the most by a U.S. men's Olympic basketball team.

The organization hired Jerry Colangelo as managing director and Mike Krzyzewski as coach. The NBA's brightest stars were recruited to restore USA Basketball's prominence. Thus, the 2008 Redeem Team was formed.

The U.S. steamrolled its way to the gold medal and hasn't lost an Olympics since. The 2008 squad isn't only special because it returned USA Basketball to glory; it rivals the 1992 Dream Team as one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled.

The 2024 Olympic squad, which begins its quest for a fifth consecutive gold medal Saturday at the Paris Olympics, has drawn comparisons to the 2008 team for its absurd cast of talent.

So, I'm here to determine who would be favored if a time machine could send the 2024 Olympic team to play against the 2008 Redeem Team.

I'm strictly comparing head-to-head rosters and matchups. Regardless of the 2024 squad's eventual record, international competition is remarkably better now than in 2008. Significantly more NBA players and superstars play for opposing countries, and the pace and space of the game, along with an emphasis on threes, have evolved.

There was chatter during Team USA's training camp in Las Vegas that this squad rivaled the 1992 Dream Team. However, the celebrity of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant clouded judgment over what those players are today and what this iteration of USA Basketball is - superstars at the back end of their careers, some rising stars, and a few guys at their peak.

The Redeem Team's headliners were all in - or on the verge of - their primes, including James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade.

James is the only common player between the 2008 squad and the 2024 team. Which Olympic squad gets the better of LeBron is a big part of the equation here.

James wasn't considered one of the greatest players of all time in 2008 and hadn't won a ring. But he had a claim as the world's best player when the Olympics concluded and won four of the next five MVPs.

In 2024, James has mastered the game of basketball in a way he hadn't 16 years ago. However, his athleticism and physical attributes were greater in 2008. He was climbing the mountaintop and approaching the summit. Now, he's closer to the valley as his career closes.

Yet James is Team USA's most reliable option through five exhibitions. He led the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points on 46% shooting from three.

Bryant was The Redeem Team's emotional leader as an NBA champion, the face of the league, and the reigning MVP. Dwight Howard and runner-up Paul were among the other 2007-08 MVP finalists.

Anthony was also at his best, finishing fourth in scoring the season prior. Wade missed significant time the previous season but was two years removed from winning Finals MVP and one year away from finishing third in the MVP race.

Wade led the U.S. in scoring, averaging 16 points per game. James contributed 15.5 per contest, while Bryant chipped in 15 a game. Howard was Team USA's big man and fifth-leading scorer. He was also a year away from carrying his team to the NBA Finals and winning his first of three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

A top six of Bryant, James, Anthony, Wade, Howard, and Paul outlasts a top six of Curry, James, Durant, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, and either Joel Embiid or Anthony Davis.

The current rendition of Team USA has been lauded for its depth as Steve Kerr frequently swaps in five guys at a time. But the 2008 team had depth, too, with Deron Williams earning significant minutes and the elder Jason Kidd playing some point guard. Prime Chris Bosh served as Howard's backup and led the team in rebounding.

The 2024 headliners have exited their heyday, including Curry, who led Team USA in minutes during the scrimmages. The greatest shooter of all time is playing in his first Olympics, but he's in the twilight years of his career. Kevin Durant, USA Basketball's all-time leading men's scorer, is entering his 17th NBA season.

That's not to discount this year's talent beyond the aging luminaries. Edwards hasn't reached his potential and already has a claim as USA Basketball's best player, finishing second in scoring during the exhibitions.

Embiid, Tatum, Davis, and Devin Booker are in their prime. But Embiid has struggled to adjust to a diminished role despite potentially being Team USA's most talented player. Traditional centers that don't rely on touches - like Howard or Davis - usually excel with USA Basketball.

The 2024 team's size and frontcourt depth could bother the Redeem Team. However, it's easy to forget Howard's dominance as a rim-protector, which could limit Embiid, Davis, or Bam Adebayo.

Yes, the 2024 group is deeper than the 2008 team, but the last men on the bench have little impact. Tyrese Haliburton is an All-Star and fell out of Kerr's rotation in the final exhibition games. Who cares that the 12th man for this team is a perennial All-Star and the 12th man for the 2008 team was Michael Redd?

Ultimately, the Redeem Team's top talent deserves the nod as a slight favorite over the 2024 squad. Assuming the U.S. wins gold as a massive favorite in Paris, the debate over the place of this year's team in USA Basketball history will continue. But if the hypothetical line is 3.5 points in the 2008 squad's favor, I'm laying the points with the team that returned Team USA to supremacy.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.