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Why another Team USA Olympics run with Anthony Davis means ‘everything’ to LeBron James
Image credit: ClutchPoints

Why another Team USA Olympics run with Anthony Davis means ‘everything’ to LeBron James

Originally posted on ClutchPoints  |  By Michael Corvo  |  Last updated 4/18/24

The Los Angeles Lakers are focused on their upcoming NBA Playoffs rematch with the Denver Nuggets. Still, LeBron James took a moment at practice Wednesday to express his excitement over chasing gold with Team USA alongside his “buddy”, Anthony Davis at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The men’s basketball roster for Paris (and Lille) was finalized earlier this week.

“It means everything,” LeBron said about being selected to the 12-man group. “It’s been the first time in 12 years representing Team USA. I’ve had a lot of great times representing Red, White and Blue in the summer games, at the Olympics.”

LeBron won gold medals with Team USA in 2008 and 2012. Davis, coming off a national-championship-winning freshman year at Kentucky, served as the last man off the bench in London.

LeBron and AD just completed their fifth regular season together with the Lakers. Their partnership peaked with the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble.

“Look forward to doing it alongside my buddy,” LeBron added. “It’s gonna be extremely fun. We’ve done it before, but he was fresh out of college. We hadn’t won a championship together. We hadn’t spent a lot of seasons together.”

Following Team USA’s flameout at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, LeBron threw his hat into the Olympics ring — and may have recruited Joel Embiid. At Lakers Media Day in October, Davis said he had “no idea” if he was headed to Paris.

In his 21st NBA season, LeBron posted for 71 games (plus the In-Season Tournament final and Play-In game), averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds. He shot a career-best 41.0% from 3-point range.

Davis, meanwhile, appeared in a career-high 76 games, averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game.

The 7-seeded Lakers (47-35) enter their Round 1 matchup vs. the Nuggets as heavy underdogs, but winners of 12 of their past 15 games.

LeBron headlines a star-studded roster, including Davis, Embiid, Stephen Curry, Bam Adebayo, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jayson Tatum.

“To be alongside him, and the rest of the 10 guys as well, including the coaching staff and the whole staff that’s part of the USAB, just want to thank [managing director] Grant Hill and [head of USA Basketball] Sean Ford and the rest of those guys over there, for picking me, for picking AD,” LeBron said. “When that moment happens we’ll be extremely excited and extremely happy to put those uniforms on and go against the world.”

Team USA won gold in 2016 and 2020.

LeBron and AD’s Lakers teammate, Austin Reaves, who shined in the World Cup , was named as a finalist for the Olympics roster. The 12th spot ended up going to Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.

“We knew that this was the team we wanted,” Hill said about the timing of the announcement on the eve of the NBA Playoffs. “Why wait?”

The opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics is set for Friday, July 26. Team USA will commence training camp in Las Vegas, on July 6. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will helm the group.

Game 7 of the 2024 NBA Finals is set for June 23.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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