LeBron James, during his last stint with Team USA, looks on during the gold medal game in the London Olympics. (Photo : Getty Images / Tim Clayton)
Cleveland Cavaliers superstar forward LeBron James has apparently been keeping tabs on Team USA's quest for an Olympic gold medal. He said he misses the Olympic atmosphere and did not rule out returning to play for Team USA in the Olympics in the future.
In an interview with Rachel Nichols of ESPN, James said, "Every time I watch 'em, I wish I was out there," before stating that he never retired from Team USA. He added that he only elected not to play during this Olympics because of the gruelling NBA season which saw him lead his Cavaliers team to the NBA title.
"The King" first joined the USA Olympic team in 2004, which saw the Americans suffer three losses total and finish with a disappointing bronze medal for their lofty standards. He returned to the squad in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, helping his country win the gold medal on both occasions. He has played 68 games all in all for Team USA, counting the other tournaments they participated in.
James could theoretically re-join the USA squad for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where he will be 35 years old and, barring any significant injury, could still be a big contributor.
The Tokyo event will be the first Olympics to be handled by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. According to Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers star has always had high regard for the Spurs longtime coach, which could motivate him for another chance to possibly win another gold medal.
James earlier marked his sixth straight year with a Finals appearance last June, winning his third NBA title and first for his hometown Cavs. He informed the organization after the Finals of his decision to rest this summer instead of making the Rio trip.
This summer was still eventful for James as he recently signed a new three-year contract with the Cavs to make him the highest paid NBA player. The Cavs are still favored to Win the East but face stiff opposition, especially with the recent signing of Kevin Durant by their Finals opponent, the Golden State Warriors.
The current USA squad, which includes James' teammate Kyrie Irving, next meets Spain in the semifinals. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski shares his thoughts on the video below.
