Way back on July 27, Diana Taurasi told a group of reporters she thought France could push the U.S. women’s basketball team as the Americans sought an unprecedented eighth straight Olympic gold medal.

Turns out, the most decorated basketball Olympian of all time knew what she was talking about.

It took 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks from A’ja Wilson — plus a late bucket by Kahleah Copper and crucial block by Breanna Stewart — for Team USA to pull away from a 10-point third quarter deficit and secure a 67-66 win over the host country to win gold Sunday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We just knew what we had to do,” Wilson said after. “We believed in each other and that’s the greatest thing about it.”

With the U.S. clinging to a 62-59 lead, Stewart got a fingertip on France’s 3 attempt, a huge defensive play with 20 seconds to go. At the other end, Wilson hit one of two free throws to make it a two possession game.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

France’s Gabby Williams hit a shot at the buzzer but the forward wasn’t behind the 3-point line when it left her hand, leaving France short of tying the game and leaving the U.S. with a one-point victory.

It was a scrappy and sloppy battle, the U.S. shooting just 34% and France shooting 32%. The Americans committed 19 turnovers, leading to 14 points for the French.

Tied 25-25 at halftime, France came out of the locker room and quickly built a 10-point lead, the biggest deficit the U.S. had faced all tournament.

A’ja Wilson dragged US women’s basketball to Olympic gold

A’ja Wilson is the best player on the planet and it’s not even close. The U.S. women’s basketball team have their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal because of it.

Wilson finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, both game highs. She also had four blocks, including two monster ones early in the third quarter that kept France from pulling away when the Americans couldn’t buy a bucket, be it in Euros, dollars or francs.

This was the ugliest game the U.S. women had in, well, forever. And if we’re being honest, they had no business winning it. They finished with 19 turnovers and were a paltry 19 of 56 (34%) from the floor. But Wilson dragged them to the top of the medals podium. If you can’t appreciate that, if you aren’t impressed by her or are still hung up on who wasn’t on this roster, that’s your problem. Read Nancy Armour’s full column on A’ja Wilson’s gold medal game performance.