Aggie Khris Middleton and Team USA take gold in Tokyo
Larry O’Brien Trophy? Check.
Olympic Gold Medal? Check.
Former Texas A&M basketball star Khris Middleton capped off quite the summer on Saturday night in Tokyo as USA Basketball defeated France, 87-82, to win the Olympic gold medal. Middleton contributed four points in 11 minutes of action in the gold medal game.
This milestone comes just weeks after Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks captured the franchise’s first NBA Championship in 50 years when they closed out a six-game series over the Phoenix Suns on July 20. An NBA All-Star, Middleton was a key contributor to the Bucks’ success and was a candidate for Finals MVP, which ultimately went to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In Tokyo, Middleton joined forces with many of the best NBA players as the Americans were gold medal favorites from the jump. Under Gregg Popovich’s coaching, stars such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Damien Lillard and more reached those lofty expectations and brought home the United States’ fourth-consecutive Olympic gold in men's hoops.
During their tune-up for Tokyo, Team USA suffered two embarrassing losses to Nigeria and Argentina, suggesting the Americans’ road to glory would not be an easy one.
The struggles continued once they reached Japan as Team USA fell to France, 83-76, in the preliminary round. Middleton did not score in the USA’s first meeting with the French.
In their second Olympic contest, the Americans crushed Iran, 120-66, with Middleton scoring 10 points in 16 minutes of play. On July 31, they closed out group play with a 35-point beatdown of the Czech Republic. Middleton scored eight points in 23 minutes as Team USA finished 2-1 in Group A, earning a quarterfinal showdown with Spain.
Team USA continued to hit their stride in the knockout stage, sending the Spaniards packing on August 3, defeating them 95-81. In 18 minutes of play, Middleton scored just two points. The Aggie contributed 11 points in 21 minutes in a semifinal victory over Australia, 97-78.
Middleton joins Track & Field phenom Athing Mu as the second Aggie to win a gold medal and is the fifth Texas A&M product to medal at the 2020 Olympics.
Between an NBA Championship and an Olympic Championship, that's a pretty successful few weeks for K-Mid. Gig 'Em, Khris!
