LAS VEGAS (AP) — He first performed on the U.S. Olympic group as a 19-year-old. He did it once more in his 20s, twice. And now, a number of months from turning 40, he’s again for yet one more run.
LeBron James didn’t want one other Olympic expertise to finish some lacking field on his resume or add to a legacy that was secured lengthy, way back. He determined to play this summer time for one easy cause — as a result of he desires to.
Taking his first steps towards changing into the primary U.S. males’s basketball participant to compete on the Olympics in three completely different many years, James hit the ground Saturday with the group that the Individuals are sending to the Paris Video games later this month. Coaching camp opened in Las Vegas, the beginning of a 5 1/2-week quest the place the one acceptable ending would be the U.S. successful gold for a fifth consecutive time.
“I’m nonetheless enjoying a excessive degree,” James, a three-time Olympic medalist — two golds and one bronze — mentioned Saturday after the primary exercise. “I nonetheless love the sport of basketball. And Group USA has performed effectively by me, so I felt prefer it was essential for this summer time to have the ability to go on the market and play with the remainder of the fellows.”
The primary apply got here on a day of one other first for the James household; the exercise in Las Vegas was simultaneous to the Los Angeles Lakers’ first recreation within the California Basic summer time league — the professional debut of Bronny James, the son of the NBA’s all-time scoring chief.
It might have been very straightforward for James to ask for Day 1 off, to go see his son’s debut. It was by no means a consideration. He took the ground shortly after the buses rolled in, slapping palms with teammates, throwing down dunks and reconnecting with two of his former coaches — Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, each of whom gained NBA titles with James on their squads.
“I used to be blown away by how arduous he practices,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr mentioned. “I went to Ty and Spo, and I mentioned, ‘Is that this regular?’ And so they mentioned, ‘Each day, day by day.’ After which I mentioned to Spo, ‘What about method again whenever you bought him?’ And Spo mentioned, ‘Each day, each drill, each walkthrough.’”
Kerr has coached towards James in 4 NBA Finals, all of which featured Golden State guard Stephen Curry — who performs for Kerr with the Warriors and is making his Olympic debut this summer time.
And it’s honest to say that teaming up was a part of what intrigued James and Curry when it was time to determine whether or not to play in Paris or not.
“I’ve talked to each of them about this concept of being collectively after going towards each other with such excessive stakes through the years,” Kerr mentioned. “They clearly match rather well collectively. The concept of Steph enjoying off the ball, and LeBron pushing it in transition, that’s fairly intriguing. Clearly, Steph will play on the ball as effectively. And LeBron has change into such a great shooter, however they’re each so good at so many alternative areas of the sport. I believe they’re actually excited to compete collectively for the primary time”
Beneficial Tales
James was a part of the U.S. groups that gained bronze on the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2006 world championships (now known as the World Cup) in Japan. And ever since then, the Individuals have gone unbeaten when James is carrying USA throughout his chest in worldwide play.
Beginning with the bronze medal recreation in Japan 18 years in the past, the U.S. has performed 36 video games — 10 on the FIBA Americas event in 2007, then 4 exhibitions earlier than and eight video games on the 2008 Beijing Video games, then 5 extra exhibitions and eight video games on the 2012 London Video games — with James in uniform. The report: 36-0. He hopes it’s 47-0 when this summer time’s run ends.
“I’m right here to have a great summer time,” James mentioned.
Even after not enjoying in Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo, James will probably be taking part in his fourth Olympics — tying the report for probably the most by any U.S. males’s participant. Solely Carmelo Anthony has performed in 4 Olympics for the U.S. males up to now; Kevin Durant will play in his fourth this summer time as effectively.
That’s a pleasant aspect notice, however not the factor James is considering today.
“Our solely aim,” he mentioned, “is to win a gold medal.”
