Announced mid-last week, the complete Team USA roster for the Paris Olympic Games includes the name of LeBron James. On the plane to France, he will be accompanied by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, in order to win a new gold medal.
Grant Hill, the boss of Team USA, explained that he came into contact with the “King” a few days after he became the best scorer in NBA history, so there is a little more than a year.
In Los Angeles to commentate on the match between the Lakers and the Bucks on TNT, Grant Hill took advantage of this opportunity to go see LeBron James, who was not playing that evening due to an ankle injury.
“ At half-time, as I came back from the corridors under the stands and he was on the field, I approached him.”, remembers Grant Hill. “I told him, 'Hey man, I need you in Paris.' It was just in passing, I threw it out to see what he was going to say. He replied, “I’m in.” Guys say things off the cuff, so you never know if they're serious or not. »
An assist from Tyronn Lue
Things picked up after the United States finished fourth at the World Cup. “After we lost the World Cup, T-Lue (Tyronn Lue, Steve Kerr's assistant at Team USA and LeBron James' former coach at the Cavaliers) put us in touch, and we really communicated a lot over the course of the match. 'last year “adds Grant Hill. “He was up for it from the first time we spoke last fall. »
From the first discussions, the Lakers player was ready to have one last Olympic experience after his participations in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. “He was invested and excited by the opportunity, » estimates the former Pistons player. “His presence and leadership will serve us well, in addition to his play.”
Twenty years after his first participation in the Games, LeBron James will return for a fourth and surely final participation.
With a victory at 39, he would join Carmelo Anthony, who won three gold medals between 2004 and 2016. That would still be one less than Kevin Durant, who can win gold for the fourth time!
