Lebron James Network

Published Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 10:05 pm EDT Last updated 1 hour and 22 minutes ago LONDON â€" Tunisian forward Makram Ben Romdhane can admit itâ€"that was pretty cool. Stepping onto the floor Tuesday night, shaking hands with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, that is not something many basketball players get to do. “Oh, it is very special to me, of course,” Ben Romdhane said after posting 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in Tunisia’s 110-63 loss to Team USA here at Olympic Park. “If you get to play against Team USA and those guys, it is something you remember. They just play so great, they are fast and strong, and they play without fouling.” But Ben Romdhane pointed out that he’s already had the experience of going up against NBA players. He was on the team that faced the U.S. in the 2010 World Championshipâ€"in fact, Tunisia faced NBA players in all five of its games (they finished 0-5, ranked 24th of 24 teams in that tournament). “We sh...

We're years away from seeing the fullest effects of LeBron James ' televised free-agent spectacular, but it's already safe to say that "The Decision" was one of the most important moments to date in the business of sports. The event itself may always be more strongly associated with its implicit self-congratulation, but at its core, "The Decision" was a willing exercise of an uncommon agency; few players in any sport have been able to command the attention and investments that gravitate toward James, and none had taken control of their free-agent process in the same way. Yet considering how desperately every other superstar player has avoided free agency since James' PR debacle, it's hard not to wonder if "The Decision"â€"if only as a megaphone of sortsâ€"may have played a role in triggering the prevalent movement of top-tier players. James' arrival in Miami undoubtedly started a league-wide arms race, but we sho...

The post originally appeared on Freakonomics.com ESPN.com recently offered a somewhat confusing article comparing the 2012 U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team to the 1992 Dream Team. The headline of the article -- " LeBron: We Would Beat Dream Team " -- makes it clear that LeBron James believes the 2012 team would defeat the 1992 Dream Team. The first line of the story, though, makes a somewhat different claim: "LeBron James has joined Kobe Bryant in saying that he believes this year's Team USA Olympic men's basketball team could beat the 1992 Dream Team." And then further in the article, we see... James's comments echoed those of Bryant, who two weeks ago made a similar proclamation. "It would be a tough one, but I think we would pull it out," Bryant said at a news conference. "People who think we can't beat that team for one game, they are crazy. To sit there and say we can't, it's ludicrous...

LeBron James might be preparing to defend Team USA Basketball's gold medal during the London Olympics, but that does not mean he should not take some time out to enjoy the sights and sounds of the host city. Still basking in the glory of his first NBA championship, James has really undergone a transformation during the summer. Now that the pressure is off him winning a title, he can go back to the happy go-lucky personality that permeated during his early playing days that endeared him to people. What this also means is that he has gone back to being a professional goofball. From taking pictures with newlyweds to a pair of fans in the streets of London, LeBron has definitely become a more gracious star. What is interesting to note about his encounter with the London fans was what was on his feet. While rocking a throwback Raider snapback cap and a black and volt Nike training gear, James was pictured in the recently released Nike Flyknit Trainer in the volt colorway. The ...

Going into the Team USA basketball team's matchup against lowly Tunisia, many are viewing the contest as nothing but an inconvenience for the world's No. 1 ranked team. There is no question about whether the United States will win. The only question is by how many points. The Tunisian squad is the only team in Group A to not have an NBA player on its roster and is playing in their first Olympic Games. They will undoubtedly be overmatched by Team USA from tip-off and a 30-point blowout would serve as a disappointment for the Americans. The overarching goal for coach Mike Krzyzewski will simply be keeping vital players healthy while keeping the team in sync for their eventual medal round run. But for Team USA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, their goal cannot be the same. It's widely known that NBA commissioner David Stern and his ownership group are pushing to make the Olympics an under-23 endeavor, with their ultimate goal being a World Cup of Basketball (...

If you do the math, and Esquire has, Roger Federer is the top athlete in the world. The magazine has a formula that includes performance (MVP and championships); social media (YouTube and Google hits), money (Google hits for "charity" and listing on Forbes) as well as negatives (Google hits on "scandal") for a list of Who's Who and for some of us a Who's That? The top 10 on the top 50 list : Federer (tennis), Manny Pacquiao (boxing), LeBron Jame s (basketball), Rafael Nadal (tennis), Tiger Woods (golf), Floyd Mayweather (boxing), Conrad Anker (climbing), Chrissie Wellington (triathlete), Sidney Crosby (hockey) and Trevor Brazile (rodeo). OLYMPICS:   USA men's team is 55-point favorite vs. Tunisia

John Salley, 48, was a Piston for six seasons. He spoke with the Free Press recently to promote a line of natural supplements and the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. The NBA was a dominant part of the conversation, and he shared his thoughts on many topics. Here's the first part. • Salley, on LeBron James: "I'm a fan of the Heat. I played for them as well. When I left Detroit, I went there. I'm a huge LeBron fan. It's funny how people are so set into 'I hate him,' and don't know why. ... The kid on his own showed me something I haven't seen. He took (Cleveland) to the championship (game). That year he didn't have anybody worthwhile that we can mention, but he took a team that no one paid attention to. ... You don't win championships with just one player. Oscar Robinson needed Kareem (Abdul Jabbar). Jerry West needed Wilt Chamberlain. Michael Jordan had to have Scottie Pippen. ... That's just the way it works." • Salley, o...

Updated: July 30, 2012, 2:30 PM ET Associated Press Team USA Wins Opener NEXT VIDEO Team USA Wins Opener Team USA Wins Opener Team USA Beatable? Team USA Beatable? KD Leads USA Past France KD Leads USA Past France Grading Team USA Grading Team USA LONDON -- Hardly dreamy, still dominant. Kevin Durant scored 22 points, LeBron James added eight assists and the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team opened tournament play with a rough-and-ragged 98-71 win over France on Sunday. More From ESPN.com Although he is surrounded by superstar teammates, Tyson Chandler is Team USA's most indispensable player, writes Michael Wilbon. Story LeBron James' sweet passes help lead Team USA to an easy win against France in its Olympic opener, writes Marc Stein. Story Seeking a second straight gold medal to match the one they won in Beijing four years ago, the Americans expected a tough test from a French team featuring ...

Updated Jul 30, 2012 9:40 PM ET LONDON (AP) LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and David Robinson are part of an exclusive Olympic club that may never have another member. GOLD STARS Monday's best Olympic action included a Chinese gymnastics masterclass. VIEW PHOTOS PREVIOUS DAYS July 25 | July 26 | July 27 | July 28 | July 29 They're the only U.S. men's basketball players to compete in three Olympics â€" and with a potential age-limit rule change looming, maybe the last ones. ''We're very humbled from the simple fact that we've been selected once again, but we don't take it for granted,'' said James, who said he wasn't aware of the rare threepeat until someone told him. ''This is a very select group of guys who get this opportunity every four years and for us to be a part of it for three consecutive teams is an unbelievable feat.'' A feat that seemed unlikely after James' and Anthony...

In nine years' worth of Hall-of-Fame worthy play, it wasn't until the ninth season where LeBron James would truly come into his own. He began to find out what type of player he's capable of becoming. Straying out of the comfort zones of isolation settings and hot-and-cold jump shooting, James began to use his physical and mental attributes more than he had in his career until that point. On both ends of the floor, James was putting his body to the test and coming up victorious time and time again. Outside of finding a post-game and limiting his long-distance jumpers, James also showcased versatility we haven't seen from an NBA player in decades. He's a small forward, but it's also well-known that James is capable of playing the point guard, and actually did start at the point in his rookie season. At his size, James becomes nearly unstoppable when he's controlling the ball on one end and defending a much smaller opponent on the other. He utilizes h...

LONDON (AP) â€" LeBron James , Carmelo Anthony and David Robinson are part of an exclusive Olympic club that may never have another member. They're the only U.S. men's basketball players to compete in three Olympics â€" and with a potential age-limit rule change looming, maybe the last ones. "We're very humbled from the simple fact that we've been selected once again, but we don't take it for granted," said James, who said he wasn't aware of the rare threepeat until someone told him. "This is a very select group of guys who get this opportunity every four years and for us to be a part of it for three consecutive teams is an unbelievable feat." A feat that seemed unlikely after James' and Anthony's first experience. The Olympics couldn't end quickly enough for them in Athens. James can hardly hide his disgust with his role, or lack thereof, whenever he is asked about 2004, a time when USA Basketball was, as ...

usabasketball.com They're not the hoop legends from Dream Team '92, but many of the members of the U.S. Men's National Basketball Team are among today's biggest NBA stars. And with Team U.S.A.'s 98-71 trouncing of France in their London Olympics debut, no doubt LeBron James , Kobe Bryant and company are off to a magnificent start in living up to the lauded reputation of their predecessors as they go for the gold. In honor of their first victory at the games, E! News has rounded up 10 amazing facts about the new squad. Take a look! Live from E!: Bruce Jenner and Guiliana Rancic chat with Hilary Phelps 1. Young Guns: The men's basketball team once again draws on some of the NBA's best and most versatile talent, most of whom are in the prime of their careers. They are: • Tyson Chandler , 29, New York Knicks • Kevin Durant , 23, Oklahoma City Thunder • LeBron James , 27, Miami Heat • Russell Westbrook , 23, Oklahoma City Thunder • Dero...

Magic Johnson, according to the Los Angeles Times , acknowledges that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant would have made the ’92 Dream Team, even though he added a backdoor comment as to why the 2012 version of Team USA would have no chance to beat them. "You have to say Kobe would definitely make it," Johnson said. "He's unbelievable. We're so lucky and so fortunate we get a chance to watch Kobe play every single night here in L.A. LeBron is the best all-around player in the game so he would definitely make our team. Kevin Durant would have a shot as well. You have two definitely in with Kobe and LeBron." Johnson goes on to acknowledge that James and Bryant would likely replace Christian Laettner, the only college player selected to the ’92 team, but that is all. Realizing that Bryant would have had to battle the likes of Michael Jordan for playing time on the team, the question stands, “Who else could James eliminate?” With a wide array of ...

Below is a Q&A with former Lakers assistant coach Ettore Messina. He's serving as an on-air analyst for Sky TV for the 2012 Olympic Games . Messina worked as a consultant with the Lakers last season before returning to CSKA Moscow for a second stint as the Russian club's head coach. On Team USA's roster: Talent-wise, they have the depth. They have the perimeter players. And they have bigger small forwards. That all helps them overcome the fact that they don't have too much size. Size is not a factor so long as you can compensate it with athleticism and stability. That's exactly what happened against a team like France. They're supposed to be a more than decent team, even if Tony Parker is not at his best or in his best shape. The U.S. plays the game seriously. They always have a very high number of assists and they share the ball. On the rest of the field: Spain is a good team. They have the size in the Gasol brothers and Ibaka. But with as far as...

July 29, 2012 | David Haugh's In the Wake of the News LeBron James and teammates celebrate after scoring against France. (AFP PHOTO…) LONDON â€" Go ahead, admit it. You like this LeBron James. You like our country's best basketball ambassador at the Olympics, the greatest all-around player in the world already proving it at these Games. You like how James defers to elder statesman Kobe Bryant out of respect and connects with Coach K well enough to talk to Mike Krzyzewski about everything from leadership styles to tattoo designs. You like how James facilitates Team USA's offense to involve everybody on a team full of stars, as he did selflessly in Sunday's 98-71 rout of France in the Olympic opener. You like the newfound maturity James showed afterward when remembering this trip across the Atlantic offered more than an opportunity to sell more shoes and expand his brand globally. "You're representing more than just your s...