The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are slowly approaching, and USA Basketball has been eyeing it as an opportunity to reassert its superiority over the rest of the world in the sport of basketball.
It had a disappointing finish in last year’s FIBA World Cup by failing to win a medal. Shortly afterward, a number of NBA superstars, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Anthony Davis, expressed their desire to play in the 2024 Olympics.
It has led to some dubbing the potential roster in Paris the “Avengers,” as it looks to be a monstrous attempt to bring the gold medal back to the United States.
Although he has been dealing with an ankle ailment, James said he’s still committed to playing for Team USA this summer.
LeBron James is in (for now) on playing for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Anthony Davis essentially said the same yesterday. pic.twitter.com/4WJHzxHxT3
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 18, 2024
“Yeah, I mean, I told myself before the season when I committed to being a part of the Olympic team, obviously it was all predicated on my health,” James said. “As it stands right now, I am healthy enough to be on the team and perform at a level that I knew I could perform at. Like you said, there’s still time left in the season, a third left in the regular season. Obviously, I don’t know what the future holds as far as postseason, whatever the case may be. Like you said, it’s 11 games, but it is 5 1/2 weeks, and it’s more miles put on these tires.
“I’ve always — if I’m committed, which I am, to Team USA, then I’m going to commit my mind, body and soul to being out there for Team USA, being out there representing our country with the utmost respect and go out and play. But the one thing I know for sure, I don’t have to carry the load. I’ve never had to carry the load on any one of the three teams I’ve been on, the ’04 team, the ’08 team and the ’12 team. I just try to do my best and be as great as I can be on the floor in the minutes I’m out there.
“I’m not sure right now what the full team is going to look like, but from some of the names, I know I don’t have to feel any pressure going out there to feel like I have to carry the team. That’s going to be a full 12-man roster that’s capable of doing it both offensively and defensively on any given night versus any country in the world.”
James has already represented the Stars and Stripes in the Olympics three times. During his first appearance in the Summer Games in 2004, Team USA infamously only won the bronze medal, but it bounced back with his help to win the gold in 2008 and 2012.
As he alluded to, the main concern if he heads to Paris this year is the added wear and tear it would mean for him, not to mention the greatly reduced rest and recuperation time during the offseason.
