After a 113-111 defeat to Germany in the FIBA World Cup semifinal, Team USA will turn their attention toward the 2024 Olympics. There, LeBron James, who will be 39 by the time the Olympics roll around, could feature.
James has three Olympic medals: two gold and one bronze. The superstar forward's bronze came in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. A gold medal followed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, followed by another in the 2012 London Olympics.
Despite his success in international basketball, LeBron James is reportedly 'done' playing for the USA. The superstar forward didn't participate in 2016 and hasn't been a part of any USA team for FIBA competition since 2012.
Nevertheless, with a wealth of experience and a track record of success, LeBron James may be tempted to add one more gold medal to his collection in 2024.
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Recently, he was named as part of the "dream team" for the 2024 Olympics, with the forward replying with an eye emoji, which got fans excited at the possibility.
James has played 24 games over three Olympics, averaging 11.4 points, 4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest, shooting 37.9% from the 3-point range and 70% from the 2-point range.
LeBron James could still make an impact on the world stage
Despite his advancing years, LeBron James is still a top-10 player in the NBA and one of the most talented players around. Last season, he played 55 games for the LA Lakers, averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.
If you can produce those types of numbers at the highest level of basketball, be named an All-Star and lead your team to the Western Conference Finals, it's clear you're still an elite player.
As such, James clearly has enough left in the tank for one more run at the Olympic gold. Team USA will want to avenge their World Cup failure and is expected to take a strong team to the 2024 Olympics.
Whether or not LeBron James decides to return to Team USA next year remains to be seen. However, if he's playing out the final years of his career to put the finishing touches on his legacy, three gold Olympic medals would certainly sound good when discussing his accolades. That could be enough to entice him back to the Team USA fold for one final run.
A lot will likely depend on how deep the Lakers go in the postseason next year and whether James secures another championship. Most importantly, though, a lot would depend on how much longer James wants to continue playing and if Olympic success is still a driving force.
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