Tag: nba olympics 2024 lebron james recruiting

Calling all old heads – LeBron James wants you on Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

OK, maybe not all old heads; just the ones who enjoyed a storied NBA career. James is projected to headline a Team USA Olympic roster closer to claiming social security benefits than taking its first baby steps.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ star alluded to as much shortly after Canada eliminated Team USA from the FIBA World Cup bronze medal game early Sunday morning.

The 38-year-old James is ready to commit to the 2024 Olympic squad, and according to multiple reports, he’s recruiting Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry, 35, and Draymond Green, 33; soon-to-be 35-year-old Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant; 33-year-old Portland Trail Blazers fugitive Damian Lillard; as well as his former teammate, the 31-year-old lightning rod, Kyrie Irving.

Maybe James should recruit the 39-year-old Carmelo Anthony, who was arguably the best American player of his generation in international play, and perhaps the 41-year-old Dwyane Wade while he’s at it. And if Team USA needs a clutch scorer, the 42-year-old Joe Johnson is still getting buckets in Ice Cube’s Big 3 basketball league.

It should be noted James has also recruited the NBA’s young faces: Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, 25; Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox, 25; Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, 26; and James’ Lakers’ co-star Anthony Davis, 30, also highlight the list of players the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has recruited for Paris 2024.

And then there are the FIBA World Cup standouts: Brooklyn’s own Mikal Bridges, 27; and Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards, 22, may have played their way onto the Paris roster, even though Team USA didn’t earn a medal this summer. Bridges boasted a higher global rank than any other player on Team USA’s roster, and Edwards proved capable of taking over a game on both ends of the floor.

Here it is: per @TikotDeRoa, Mikal Bridges boasted a higher Global ranking than any other #TeamUSA player during the FIBA World Cup, ranking 16th among all participating players.

Others: Anthony Edwards (18), Austin Reaves (21) and Tyrese Haliburton (24). SGA ranked #1. #Nets pic.twitter.com/IS7IXiVRr0

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) September 10, 2023

They just needed some legitimate star power – and James is recruiting it a year in advance.

Of course, nothing is given. In fact, Team USA securing World Cup gold was a perceived given until they sustained their first World Cup loss in the second round to Lithuania – followed by a loss to Germany and a subsequent elimination defeat at the hands of Canada.

Team USA’s biggest shortcoming remains a lack of international size. A large portion of the NBA’s starting centers hail from European countries, including four of the past five MVP winners: Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

There remains a wild card: Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid wields dual citizenship for both the United States and France and can choose to represent either country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Of the players James has reportedly recruited for the 2024 run, Durant, Green and Irving represented Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Durant, Booker, Green, Lillard and Tatum helped lead Team USA to gold in Tokyo in 2020.

As did Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, a likely recruit for Team USA given the country’s desperate need for size to combat the international five.

James may be recruiting The Expendables, but USA Basketball needs to be smart about roster construction if it doesn’t want an encore of this summer’s medal-less international run.