A new report indicates that Los Angeles Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are ready to commit to the 2024 Olympics along with several other NBA superstars.
James appears to be recruiting players to join the effort. His career may be entering its final stages, but he clearly has more that he wants to accomplish.
“LeBron James, a three-time Olympian, two-time gold medalist, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has so strong an interest in one more Olympics that he is ready to commit for next summer, and has also called multiple stars to essentially recruit them to join him with USAB in Paris, multiple league sources told The Athletic,” Shams Charania and Joe Vardon wrote.
“James has spoken to Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green, and they are all prepared to commit as well. Separately, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Dallas’ Kyrie Irving also have serious interest in committing, league sources said.
“James’ effort started well before the USA World Cup team, led by Anthony Edwards and Mikal Bridges, lost at the World Cup, and was not related to whether this summer’s team won or lost. While the American national team has struggled at the last two World Cups, the program has won four consecutive golds at the Olympics.
“James, who has not played for Team USA since the 2012 Games in London and will turn 39 in December, and Durant, a three-time Olympian and gold medalist who will be 35 by next summer, are viewing the Paris games as a ‘last dance’ with USA Basketball, sources said.
“Curry, who will be 36, has never played in an Olympics but won two World Cups in 2010 and 2014 with the American team and is viewing next summer similarly. James, Durant, and Curry have spoken to each other about one last USA run, together, sources said.”
James, 38, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and has played for three teams — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers — across his 20 seasons in the NBA. He averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game across 55 appearances with the Lakers during the 2022-23 regular season (54 starts).
Those numbers were good enough for James to earn an All-Star nod — the 19th of his pro career — as well as a spot on the All-NBA Third Team.
The 6-foot-9 forward boasts one of the most impressive resumes in NBA history. He is a 19-time All-Star, 19-time All-NBA selection, four-time MVP, three-time All-Star Game MVP and member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
But most importantly, James has led his teams to four NBA titles over the course of his career in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2020, winning Finals MVP honors each time.
His first two titles came back when he was a member of the Heat alongside stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James and the Heat defeated Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in the 2012 NBA Finals and beat Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the 2013 NBA Finals.
Arguably James’ most impressive title came in 2016 when he was playing for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers rallied all the way back from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals against Curry, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors to win the series in seven games.
James won his most recent title in 2020 when he was a member of the storied Lakers franchise. He and Davis helped lead the Lakers to an NBA Finals victory over Jimmy Butler and the Heat in six games.
The report from The Athletic hints at the notion that Team USA will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2024 Olympics. Here’s to hoping that some of the NBA’s best players will indeed decide to represent the country.
