After the Olympics, LeBron James said he is unsure of the number of opportunities remaining to “compete for something big”
“I’m entering my 22nd [NBA] season at the age of 39,” the basketball player declared following Team USA’s semifinal victory.
LeBron James’ Olympic career is probably coming to an end in Paris in 2024.
James, a 39-year-old basketball player, gave an explanation of why the Olympic Games mean so much to him in the latter stages of his career after he helped lead Team USA to an incredible comeback from a double-digit deficit in the semifinal game against Serbia.
Following the close win, James told reporters, including PEOPLE, “I’m 39 years old and going into my 22nd [NBA] season.” “I don’t know how many opportunities and moments I’m gonna get… just to be able to compete for something big and playing big games — and tonight was a big game.”
Sons Bryce, 17, and Bronny James, 19, were in the stands at Bercy Arena in Paris to support their father during the Lakers star’s “big game” at the Olympics.
In the semifinal stage, James and his colleagues “knew it was going to be a challenge” against three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić’s Serbia, but they still won 95-91, referring to the triumph as “a big-time win for us.”
“It’s good to be tested,” he continued on the clash, which saw Team USA trail significantly until a steal by Stephen Curry in the closing minutes of play gave the Americans a two-point lead.
James stated that he and his squad are “one game away” from their “ultimate goal,” which is to win the gold medal in the final match against France on Saturday, August 10.
“We’re excited about the game,” James remarked, describing the French squad, which features 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, 20, and 32-year-old Rudy Gobert, the four-time NBA defensive player of the year, as “extremely competitive” and a unit that has “been playing together for a while.”
James said that on Saturday, Team France will have the home court edge. When the semifinal was over, he told reporters, “They’ve been feeding off the crowd.”
“It all comes down to competitive flow, competitive energies, and attempting to do tasks as near as flawlessly as possible. We also want to be aggressive, create plays for our team, and perform a variety of tasks on the court. The four-time NBA MVP said, “I was able to deliver for my teammates because they had faith in me.”
