WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Court of GoldNetflix’s 2024 Paris Olympics documentary, Court of Gold, takes an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at several of the top gold medal men’s basketball contenders, including a historic Team USA squad. While it’s well-known that Team USA defeated Team France in Paris during last year’s Summer Olympic Games, thanks to a mind-blowing three-point spree from living NBA legend Steph Curry, the doc offers inside access to players on Team Serbia, Team Canada, and others while also reliving Team USA’s gold medal glory.
Court of Gold acts as a sort-of spinoff to Netflix’s docuseries Starting 5, which chronicled three members of the 2024 US Olympic Basketball team – Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and LeBron James – during the 2024 NBA season, which resulted in an 18th franchise championship for the Boston Celtics. Court of Gold also features extensive interviews and commentary from the likes of Curry, U.S. Olympic top scorer Kevin Durant, France’s rising phenom Victor Wembanyama, and Team USA head coach Stever Kerr.
Court Of Gold’s Unprecedented Behind-The-Scenes Access Makes It A Must-Watch For Basketball Fans
Exclusive Interviews & In-Game Coverage Breathe Life Into A Historic Tournament
For basketball fans, Court of Gold is immersive, powerful, and an absolute must-watch docuseries. The six-episode series mostly focuses on Team USA’s road to victory, clinching the 17th gold medal for the United States and fifth straight since 2008 after a shocking bronze performance in 2004.
Even for viewers who followed closely along through Durant’s dominating solo performance early in the games all the way to Curry’s prolific “golden dagger” moment to secure the gold medal, there is plenty to learn about Team USA’s unique chemistry, preparation, mentality, and approach to the highly competitive international field.
Some of the best parts of Court of Gold are the exclusive interviews and in-game footage it offers thanks to director Jake Rogal. Court of Gold is truly unlike any other basketball documentary before it since it follows the teams, coaches, and players through the pursuit of Olympic glory, rather than chronicling it in retrospect as seen in myriad 1992 Dream Team docs. There is a palpable sense of immediacy and tension in Court of Gold, even though the results have already been determined.
Court of Gold makes it more clear than ever how the cockiness of Ant-Man, the humbleness of Curry, the lead-by-example quality of James, and the trash-talking wit of KD combine to create a truly unstoppable force.
The passion at the core of the top contending teams – particularly Team France, who Durant was specifically excited to silence – is put on full display in Court of Gold. What’s so admirable and amazing about many of these elite players, some of the best humans to ever touch a basketball, is how grounded they are on the world’s biggest stage.
Court of Gold makes it more clear than ever how the cockiness of Ant-Man, the humbleness of Curry, the lead-by-example quality of James, and the trash-talking wit of KD combine to create a truly unstoppable force.
Court Of Gold Highlights The Strength Of International Basketball & Team USA’s Historic “Avengers” Squad
The Netflix Doc Dispells The Perception That Team USA Had An Easy Road To Victory
Not every moment of Court of Gold will be riveting to all viewers. Some of the historical elements covering the lesser-known details of the disbanded Team Yugoslavia, for example, may not entice the masses.
These denser areas of the docuseries offer a lot of perspective about the game of basketball from an international scope, which the casual NBA fan may not be attuned to. The spectacle of LeBron, KD, and Curry takes the spotlight in Court of Gold, but the impending threat of several talented teams from around the globe is the real story.
The spectacle of LeBron, KD, and Curry takes the spotlight in Court of Gold, but the impending threat of several talented teams from around the globe is the real story.
2024’s Team Canada, for example, was stacked with NBA players, while Team Germany nearly stole Team France’s shot at a gold medal on their home soil in the Olympic knockout round. Court of Gold gives plenty of coverage on the significance of Team France playing in Paris and training at INSEP, an elite preparatory school where many of France’s best athletes attended throughout their adolescence.
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The documentary also provides context for international teams about what it means to win a gold medal against Team USA, which has an expectation, not an ambition, to win an Olympic gold medal every four years. Court of Gold and Starting 5 producer Barack Obama said it would be “terrible and embarrassing” if Team USA won a silver medal and not a gold. Even under this pinnacle of pressure, Team USA’s top talents know how to avoid a choke of the grandest caliber.
Netflix’s Court of Gold is just like the team it chronicles: an unparalleled winner.
Viewers only interested in Team USA’s rise to victory in the 2024 Paris Olympics may want to watch Court of Gold on its bookends. Doing so, however, would omit a wealth of educational information and contextual experience that portrays not just how, but why, Team USA is so revered, and skip over some surprising emotional and humanizing moments with these larger-than-life figures. Netflix’s Court of Gold is just like the team it chronicles: an unparalleled winner.
Court of Gold
9/10
- Release Date
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February 18, 2025
- Court of Gold provides unprecedented & exclusive Team USA access
- The Netflix doc puts Team USA’s global dominance into persepctive
- Court of Gold feels tense and thrilling, bringing the historic Olympic Games to life
- Behind-the-scenes footage humanizes many larger-than-life figures
- Some historical segments may not entertain the masses
