The past World Cup was disappointing for the US team. Now a report is fuelling speculation that some veteran stars could return next year at the Olympics.
A US basketball team with many stars around LeBron James could be back on the floor at next year’s Olympic Games. The portal “The Athletic” reported on Monday that plans to do so have been underway for some time, regardless of the disappointing fourth place for the US team at the World Cup in Asia.
The 38-year-old James has already spoken with other stars such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green. All had signalled their willingness, it said, referring to several sources from the NBA professional league. Such rumours already existed during the World Cup.
Two-time Olympic champion James, who last played for the Americans in London in 2012, and the soon-to-be 35-year-old three-time gold medallist Kevin Durant would see the 2024 Games as their “last dance”. For the then 36-year-old Curry, it would be his first Games. James, Durant and Curry would have talked among themselves about participating in the Olympics. Tatum, Green and Damian Lillard, who is also said to have signalled his willingness to participate, were, like Durant, part of the 2021 Olympic champion team in Tokyo.
At the last World Cup in Asia, coach Steve Kerr’s US team surprisingly lost 111-113 to eventual world champions Germany in the semi-finals in Manila. Kerr had younger players at his disposal and, as four years earlier, they did not win a medal in the end.
