LeBron James is one of the most decorated athletes in NBA history (even sports history), to say the least. He is a three-time NBA champion (hopefully four after this year), a three-time NBA Finals MVP, a four-time MVP, a 16-time All-Star, and a 15-time All-NBA member. That’s not even close to listing all of his accomplishments on the basketball court, but you get the picture.
One of his other very important accolades actually didn’t come within the NBA. I’m, of course, referencing his two gold medals as a part of Team USA in the Olympics. LeBron wasn’t a part of the most recent (and disappointing) FIBA USA team, but then again, not many of the NBA’s best were as pretty much every superstar opted out of playing in light of preparing for their upcoming season.
However, the big one is coming up, as the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo will be this summer. LeBron didn’t participate in the most recent 2016 Olympics, as he was coming off one of his most exhausting playoff campaigns ever after winning the 2016 NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This year, he hopes to win another championship while taking that, and many other factors, into account for when he makes his decision regarding the Olympics (h/t Ben Golliver of The Washington Post).
Lakers’ LeBron James on whether he will play for USA Basketball at 2020 Tokyo Olympics: “[I’ll weigh] how my body is feeling… I’m hoping to make a long playoff run. Then where my mind is and where my family’s head is. There’s a lot of factors but my name is in the hat.” pic.twitter.com/DfBB21Z4Hp
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 11, 2020
This is purely my speculation, but I’m going to guess that LeBron won’t be playing for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics. He’s four years older than he was in 2016 when he opted to not play to get some rest, and you have to imagine that the Lakers will at least be making a semi-deep run into the playoffs while hoping to make the longest run that a team can possibly make. At 35-years-old and with so many talented young players who can win the gold for Team USA without LeBron, his appearance in Tokyo is doubtful.
OFFICIAL: Five Lakers are among the finalists for the 2020 U.S. Olympic team 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ndPxbss8ds
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 10, 2020
Aside from LeBron, the question was proposed because LeBron, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee, Kyle Kuzma, and Dwight Howard were five of the 44 NBA players selected as finalists for Team USA at the Olympics. Although the latter three players probably don’t have hopes of making the final roster barring a mass decline from the NBA’s superstars, we have to give them props for being finalists!