AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Report: Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard Among Stars Considering Joining LeBron, Team USA

Mike Chiari

Los Angeles Lakers star and NBA legend LeBron James is reportedly planning to commit to play for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and he has already begun recruiting other superstar players to join him.

According to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, James has spoken to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, and they are all "prepared to commit" to Team USA along with LeBron.

Devin Booker of the Suns, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, De'Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings and James' former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate in Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving reportedly all have "serious interest" in playing for the U.S. in Paris as well.

James played on three United States Olympic teams in 2004, 2008 and 2012, winning one bronze medal, followed by two golds.

He did not play in 2016 or 2020, but the star-studded Americans still managed to take gold, meaning they are now the four-time defending Olympic champions.

While the United States has remained the team to beat in Olympic competition, it has now fallen short at back-to-back FIBA World Cups, finishing seventh in 2019 and fourth this year.

The U.S. lost 113-111 to Germany in the semifinals of this year's World Cup and then suffered a 127-118 overtime loss to Canada in the bronze medal game, causing it to finish off of the podium once again.

After the loss to Germany, SportsCenter on Instagram posted a graphic created by The Dunk Central, which showed what a potential 2024 United States Olympic team could look like if all of the top players competed.

James was shown in the graphic, as were Curry, Durant, Tatum, Booker, Lillard, Davis, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.

LeBron replied to the post with the 👀 emoji, leading to speculation that he may want to experience an Olympic sendoff in Paris.

When the Olympics roll around next year, James will be 39 years old, meaning it will likely be his final opportunity to represent his country at the highest level.

As a 19-time All-Star, four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the NBA's all-time leading scorer, LeBron has essentially nothing left to prove or accomplish.

Putting together a collection of the best American players to form a new Dream Team of sorts would perhaps be the best possible way for James to enjoy his international swan song, however.

It is unlikely that any squad will ever rival the 1992 Dream Team, but if all of the players mentioned by Charania and Vardon commit to play in the 2024 Games, it will undoubtedly be one of the most talented Olympic rosters of all time.

The Americans would not only be favored to win gold with that team, but they would be expected to blow out their opponents in essentially every game, much like Michael Jordan's Dream Team did in Barcelona.

   

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