Carmelo Anthony Signals for Team USA to Let Kevin Durant Cook From Crowd vs. Serbia

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Carmelo Anthony looks on in the first half between France and Canada in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. | Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

With about 40 seconds left in Thursday's Olympic men's basketball semifinal, the United States desperately needed a bucket. The Americans led Serbia 91–89, but their opponents had shown no sign of folding in the face of a furious rally from 17 points down.

Fittingly, the United States turned to forward Kevin Durant—unknowingly fulfilling a request from his former Olympic teammate in forward Carmelo Anthony.

As Durant brought the ball up the court, Anthony stood on the sidelines at Accor Arena and frantically waved off the rest of the American squad.

He then watched as Durant drained a pinpoint long two-pointer that gave the United States a four-point cushion.

look at carmelo waving em off 😂

let KD cook pic.twitter.com/n7BBi1CO2Y

— Devin Walker (@Devin_Walker2) August 8, 2024

Durant finished the game with nine points, three rebounds and an assist off the bench. The future Hall of Famer is the all-time leading American Olympic men's basketball scorer; Anthony is second.

The United States, seeking immortality, will meet France Saturday in what figures to be a gold-medal game for the ages.