Since 1992 and the arrival of NBA professionals at the Olympic Games, it has been possible for players to achieve the double “NBA champion and Olympic champion” in the same year. A bit like footballers who win the Champions League and the World Cup in a few weeks. This is the case this summer with Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White.
The first is not entering his name for the first time in this list, which is starting to grow, since Jrue Holiday had already had a golden summer in 2021, with Milwaukee and Team USA. The three Boston players won the title against Dallas in June before climbing the Olympus in Paris.
In fact, only eight players in history have managed to win both titles (NBA and Olympic) within a few weeks of each other. It all started in 1992, with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who won the NBA double with the Bulls and were part of the legendary Barcelona “Dream Team”. Four years later, the latter wore the American team jersey again in Atlanta after winning his 4th title against the Sonics.
An American-only list
No one in 2000 because Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant were not in Sydney. In 2004, it was Argentina that won the gold medal – the only one that had eluded Team USA since the arrival of NBA players. But Manu Ginobili was not NBA champion with the Spurs that year, while he had been in 2003 and would be in 2005… So, the list is composed only of American players.
In 2008, no Boston player, not Kevin Garnett, not Paul Pierce or Ray Allen, was part of the Beijing “Redeem Team” adventure. So we had to wait until 2012 and the London edition to see a player sign this double. LeBron James, with Miami, in this case. Four years later, the winger is still NBA champion, with the Cavaliers, but he is not in Rio, unlike his teammate Kyrie Irving. The point guard therefore adds his name to this list, where we find Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, champions with Milwaukee, after Tokyo in 2021.
Finally, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are the latest newcomers to this club. We can even specify that the latter owes his place in the “Avengers” group – and therefore in this list – to the withdrawal of Kawhi Leonard, two weeks before the start of the competition.
