The Olympics have come to a close, and once again, USA Basketball has re-asserted its mastery in the Summer Games. The Americans clinched their fourth straight gold medal after escaping France, 87-82.

Although Team USA redeemed themselves in the Olympics, after a disappointing finish in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, there’s no doubt that it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. The world is simply catching up. With the NBA going global, more and more international players are trained to play alongside the best players in the world. Because of this, it has certainly bolstered other national team’s rosters.

In fact, even former international NBA players have been a focal point in their national team’s success. Despite these players no longer showcasing their wares in the league, they are still full of talent that got them to the NBA in the first place. For this piece, let’s take a look at former NBA players that balled out in the Olympics.

Olympics stars: Hamed Haddadi

Hamed Haddadi played in the NBA and suited up for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns. He was, and still is, Iran’s best basketball player given that he is the first and only player from his nation to make it to the NBA. Although Haddadi’s five year-stint in the NBA was uneventful, he is a star for the Iran national team.

Iran wounded up at dead last 12th place in the Olympics, after a win-less campaign. This was expected, given that Iran was grouped alongside strong teams Czech Republic, USA and France. However, Haddadi was arguably their brightest spot.

The former Grizzlies center led the way by averaging 15.7 points, 9.7 boards, and 3.3 assists per game in their Olympics campaign, which was Iran’s first appearance 2008. His best individual showing came against France, where he registered 18 points and 12 rebounds. Haddadi also led the tournament in blocks and finished third in rebounding and sixth in efficiency.

Dante Exum

The Australia Boomers have finally ended their Olympics medal drought by clinching the bronze at the expense of Slovenia, led by no other than Luka Doncic. And thanks to Dante Exum, the Boomers put out a fiery comeback by Slovenia in the 4th quarter.

https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/1424000022279069700

The former Cavs guard displayed some much-needed composure in the clutch for Australia, which sparked a 20-8 run. Exum finished the bronze medal game at the Olympics with 12 points, on 4/5 shooting from the field. It is worth noting he accomplished this, while also keeping Mavs star Luka Doncic in check. Exum played a huge role in forcing the Mavs star into eight turnovers.

Because of his amazing performance in the bronze medal game of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there’s no doubt that a return to the NBA is highly possible. In fact, some experts have already clamored for NBA teams to offer Exum a contract.

Exum has had a rough career in the NBA. Slowed down by injuries, he hasn’t played like a true fifth overall pick after posting limited productions for the Jazz and the Cavs in six seasons. However, he has used the Olympics, as a launching pad to rejuvenate his basketball career. Exum averaged a respectable 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game throughout the tournament. And his best basketball came when it mattered most.

Nando De Colo

Nando De Colo is arguably the best French basketball player outside of the NBA today. After a two year stint in the NBA, that saw him suit up for the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors, De Colo took his talents home and ruled the Euroleague. Furthermore, he has been a critical piece in the French National Team at the Olympics.

France put up one of their best Olympics in Tokyo this year, finishing with a silver medal. De Colo played a huge role in his national team’s success. In the tournament, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. The spitfire guard has also been a reliable threat from outside. De Colo knocked down 52.9% of his shots from deep, which was good for third highest in the summer games.

With the next Olympics to be held in Paris, there’s no question that De Colo and crew will be looking to avenge their loss against Team USA. But more importantly, they will be one of the legitimate contenders for gold.

Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol is arguably the most decorated players in this Olympics list. The Spanish national team star is a six-time NBA All-Star and a two time NBA champion, winning both with the Lakers alongside the late Kobe Bryant. Gasol and Spain were certainly one of the gold medal favorites in the tournament, given that they were going in as the FIBA World Cup champions. However, an early clash against Team USA in the knockout rounds burned those gold medal hopes into ashes.

Although Spain paraded a NBA-loaded national team, most of them are already way past their primes including Pau Gasol. Gasol wasn’t the same player he was when he suited up for the Lakers, nor was he like his old self when Spain defeated USA in the 2002 FIBA World Championships. But despite being slowed down by Father Time, Gasol still managed to make an impact at the Olympics.

The two-time NBA champion averaged 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. His best game came against Argentina, where he registered nine points and eight rebounds on 50% shooting in just 17 minutes of action.

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After Spain’s elimination at the Olympics, Gasol has announced his retirement from international competition. However, he is still leaving the door open when it comes to playing professionally.

In an interview, Gasol said “I’m still digesting everything a bit, now it’s time to look back and look at everything that has been done and enjoy it. We will see if I retire or not, that will come later.”

Luis Scola

Another international great that announced his retirement after the tournament was Luis Scola. Scola and Argentina were coming off a magical silver medal finish at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Because of this, they looked like one of the medal contenders for this year’s summer showcase. However, Argentina was blasted by eventual bronze medalists Australia, 97-59, in the knockout round of the Olympics.

Scola has been a critical part in Argentina’s success in the international stage. And despite coming into the tournament at already 41 years old, he was still dominant. Scola averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The 10-year NBA veteran had his best game against hosts Japan, where he tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds. Furthermore, he also became the fourth all-time leading scorer in Olympic basketball history after scoring 23 against Slovenia in the opener of the Olympics.

And because of his achievements in international basketball, there’s no question that Scola deserved a standing ovation at the Olympics. Certainly, he isn’t only a legend in Argentina, but also in international basketball.