LeBron James’ participation in the upcoming Olympic Games is
not driven by a need to enhance his already illustrious career or bolster his
legacy. Rather, his decision to play stems from a genuine desire to engage in
the sport he loves.
In an unprecedented move, James commenced his journey to
becoming the inaugural United States men’s basketball player to participate in
three distinct Olympic decades. On Saturday, he joined the American team
preparing for the upcoming Paris Games in Las Vegas. This intensive 5 ½-week
training camp marks the initiation of a resolute pursuit, with the sole
objective of securing the United States’ fifth consecutive gold medal.
“I’m still playing a high level,” James, a distinguished
Olympic medalist with two golds and one bronze, shared his insights during a
post-workout interview on Saturday. “I still love the game of basketball. And
Team USA has done well by me, so I felt like it was important for this summer
to be able to go out there and play with the rest of the guys.”
The initial practice session occurred on a day marked by
another significant milestone for the James family. The workout in Las Vegas
coincided with the Los Angeles Lakers’ inaugural game in the California Classic
summer league, which marked the professional debut of Bronny James, the son of
the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
It would have been quite simple for James to request the
first day off to attend his son’s debut. However, this was never considered. He
promptly took the floor after the buses arrived, engaging in friendly
handshakes with teammates, showcasing his impressive dunking abilities, and
reuniting with two of his former coaches— Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, both
of whom achieved NBA championship victories while having James as a member of
their respective teams. “I was blown away by how hard he practices,” U.S. coach
Steve Kerr said. “I went to Ty and Spo, and I said, ‘Is this normal?’ And they
said, ‘Every day, every day.’ And then I said to Spo, ‘What about way back when
you got him?’ And Spo said, ‘Every day, every drill, every walkthrough.’”
Kerr has faced James in four NBA Finals, all of which
included Golden State guard Stephen Curry, who plays for Kerr with the Warriors
and is making his Olympic debut this summer.
It is accurate to state that the prospect of collaborating
was a significant factor in the decision-making process for James and Curry
when considering their participation in the Paris event.
“I’ve talked to both of them about this idea of being
together after going against one another with such high stakes over the years,”
Kerr said. “They obviously fit really well together. The idea of Steph playing
off the ball, and LeBron pushing it in transition, that’s pretty intriguing.
Obviously, Steph will play on the ball as well. And LeBron has become such a
good shooter, but they’re both so good at so many different areas of the game.
I think they’re really excited to compete together for the first time”
James was an integral member of the United States teams that
secured the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece, and
the 2006 World Championships (now known as the World Cup) held in Japan. Since
then, the American team has maintained an undefeated record whenever Mr. James
has represented the nation in international competitions.
In the past 18 years, commencing with the bronze medal game
in Japan, the United States men’s basketball team, with LeBron James on the
roster, has participated in 36 games. These games include 10 at the FIBA
Americas tournament in 2007, four exhibition games, and eight games at the 2008
Beijing Olympics. Additionally, there were five more exhibition games and eight
games at the 2012 London Olympics. The team’s record during these games stands
at an impressive 36-0. LeBron James anticipates extending this record to 47-0
by the conclusion of this summer's tournament.
“I’m here to have a good summer,” James said.
Despite his absence from the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo
competitions, James is poised to participate in his fourth Olympic Games,
equaling the record held by Carmelo Anthony as the most appearances by a U.S.
men’s basketball player. Notably, Kevin Durant will also be joining this elite
group by participating in his fourth Olympics this summer.
That is an interesting observation, but it is not the
primary focus of James’ current thoughts.
“Our only goal,” he said, “is to win a gold medal.”