MANILA, Philippines — In a happier time for USA Basketball, when gold medals were being draped around the necks of the mix of victorious American All-Stars and role players at the Tokyo Olympics, speculation was already rampant that the Paris Games would attract this country’s best.
Less than a year out from the 2024 Olympics, and with the USA coming off a disappointing fourth place at the FIBA World Cup Sunday, with only three current All-Stars and no one with prior men’s national team experience on the roster, those old Paris predictions are apparently closer to coming true.
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.
James has spoken to Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatumand 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.
Tatum, Green, and Lillard were all gold medalists in Tokyo, and Durant was the MVP of that team.
USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill is aware of the interest from James and of other well-established American stars, but declined further comment to The Athletic.
Generally, numerous USA officials readily acknowledge that not only will the Paris team look different from the one that just finished the World Cup, but the next iteration was likely to come with considerably more star power.
Canada had a cute little run but it’s over now.
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what else is new , that’s all this cat does
