LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steve Kerr (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Team USA’s thrilling 95-91 victory over Serbia in the Paris Olympics semifinals secured their spot in the final. Nevertheless, the game was overshadowed by the unexpected benching of star player Jayson Tatum. The decision by head coach Steve Kerr to keep Tatum off the court has sparked widespread criticism and debate, but Kerr explained it as a “math problem.”

The controversy escalated further when Rob Reinhart of the New York Herald reported an alleged audio exchange between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. In the audio, the two stars reportedly expressed frustration over Tatum’s benching. According to the audio, James was particularly candid in his criticism of Kerr.

“I mean, I know him and Steph [Curry] are boys, but I don’t think I can play for him again. He has no idea what he’s doing. I don’t know what he has against JT [Jayson Tatum], but it’s so childish. Like, why won’t you play him? It makes no f**king sense. We need the help, and he’s there; why not just play him? Kerr is such a f**king idiot,” James allegedly said.

Durant then replied, adding, “We’re still gonna f**king win, though. Even if we win gold, it’s not on coach. Guy’s a f**king disaster.”

As with everything today, you always have to consider the possibility that whatever we’re watching and/or hearing is A.I. generated. And that appears to be the case here, based on some fact-checking on ‘X.”

It was always a strong possibility that LeBron never said these things, especially after a big win for Team USA over Serbia. But that didn’t stop social media from getting all riled up by the fake audio.

Lou Williams Questions Conspiracy Against Celtics Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Despite their success in the NBA, Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have faced surprising setbacks in the Paris Olympics. Jaylen Brown was left off the 12-man Team USA roster entirely, while Jayson Tatum has seen limited playing time, even being benched during crucial games.

This situation has led some to question whether there’s more at play behind the scenes. Los Angeles Clippers legend Lou Williams shared his thoughts on the matter during an episode of his podcast, “The Underground Lounge.”

“Is there a conspiracy theory going on against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? I really want to know because I’m trying to wrap my head around this whole concept of Jaylen Brown not being on that team,” Williams said.

“I’m trying to wrap my mind around the league trying to pit them against each other when they’ve never done that to two superstars. I’ve never seen that. Now you got JT not getting minutes, and I get it, those were Kevin Durant’s minutes,” he added.

Team USA prepares for the gold medal game against France, tipping off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to see if Tatum gets a chance to showcase his prowess against France.

Victor Wembanyama Opens Up On His Wholesome Conversation With Kevin Durant After Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

Victor Wembanyama and Kevin Durant (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama’s France team faced a tough challenge in the Paris Olympics final by falling short against Team USA with a close 98-87 loss. The defeat was a hard pill to swallow, especially for Wembanyama. He was visibly emotional after the game and shed tears over missing out on a gold medal.

Despite the heartbreak, Wembanyama found a silver lining in the experience. The young star had the opportunity to interact with their childhood idol, Kevin Durant. During a recent appearance on a French television station with Gabby Williams, Wembanyama shared the conversation he had with Durant after the game.

“He became my favorite childhood player. I made it clear that I wanted to learn from him [and] perhaps only steal 1 or 2 of his secret techniques,” Wembanyama said.

The San Antonio Spurs star’s performance was a bright spot for France, especially in the gold medal game. He scored 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting in just 30 minutes of play.