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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is gearing up to chase another NBA championship, but he also has his eyes set on competing for another gold medal.
During the Lakers’ media day on Monday, James confirmed to reporters that he’s interested in playing for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Last month, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that James was among a contingent of NBA superstars who have “robust interest” in joining Team USA for the 2024 Paris Games. Other players named as candidates to represent USA Basketball included Stephen Curry, who has yet to make his Olympic debut, and past gold medal winners Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Draymond Green and Chris Paul.
James told reporters on Monday that with the potential talent available for next summer’s Olympic Games, he likely wouldn’t have to play a major role and he’d just “rebound and pass a little bit.”
The 38-year-old is a two-time gold medalist, earning victories with Team USA in 2008 in Beijing and in 2012 in London. He also has a bronze medal from the 2004 Athens Games. He declined to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and he sat out the 2020 Tokyo Games while resting his ankle.
The interest from James and other NBA stars comes after Team USA failed to medal in the FIBA World Cup this summer. The team featured a youthful roster and a new head coach in Steve Kerr, who succeeded Gregg Popovich in 2021 after serving as an assistant under him for the Tokyo Olympics.
It will be fun to see how the Team USA roster takes shape leading up to next summer, as James likely will be joined by a star-studded group of players.
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