Phenomenon LeBron James and magnificent sidekick Steph Curry took centre stage to secure Olympic gold for USA, writes NIK SIMON

He arrived in gold sneakers and left with a gold medal. LeBron James slinked around and posed with gray hairs in his 39-year-old beard as he led the U.S. to Olympic glory.

James puffed his chest out and showed off his muscles, he’s the alpha male on this team, but it was his great buddy Steph Curry who scored 24 points from long range and finished the night as the most valuable player in Paris.

After two weeks of celebrating rock climbers and trampoline jumpers briefly shining under the Olympic lights, this felt like a transition back to reality. The sporting superstars were back on the main stage.

Team USA’s core of James, Curry and Kevin Durant was as iconic as Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos for Brazil, or Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Ma’a Nonu for the All Blacks.

At one end of the pitch, Thierry Henry, Teddy Riner and Leon Marchand were trying to fire up the home crowd to inspire France to one of the biggest upsets in history. There were tears for their young 7ft4in giant Victor Wembanyama, who scored almost 26 points as he went blow for blow with the American all-stars.

“He’s going to be one of the best players in the world very soon,” Team USA coach Steve Kerr said reassuringly.

On the other side of the Bercy Arena, Sha’Carri Richardson, Jimmy Fallon and Megan Rapinoe held an American flag as they watched one of the most star-studded teams ever deliver on all their promises.

Of course, it was James who scored first. Their ageing star no longer runs as fast or jumps as high as he used to, but he remains a phenomenon. Curry’s handling was as smooth as Parisian silk.

He made eight three-pointers and turned to Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen for recognition. Pippen was a youngster on America’s dream team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which included Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

In 1992, there were only nine NBA players on the opposing Olympic teams, but the sport has since globalized and now there are more than 60. This was evident in France’s resistance. In the second quarter, the French scored eight unanswered points and briefly took the lead.

They dared to dream of a gold medal that would shine as brightly as the medals they won at these Games, but America pounced on every mistake.

It was fast and frenetic. Durant’s alley-oop to Anthony Edwards looked effortless, and his defensive blocks put him on course for the fourth gold medal of his career.

But it was Curry’s late-night show that lit up the arena and restored normalcy to the land of sports giants.