Team USA brought home their fifth straight Olympics gold medal this summer with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James at the helm. It was James' third gold medal and it's not a stretch to suggest that Team USA might have been in trouble had he not been on the roster.
But prior to the actual games being played, James had an incredible honor bestowed upon him in getting to be the flag bearer for the United States during their boat parade as part of the opening ceremonies. During a recent episode of the show, 'Gojo and Golic' as part of the DraftKings Network, James spoke about receiving that honor.
"I didn't know how to feel about it. I had seen so many different flag bearers and so many great athletes carry our flag and represent our country. We come into a team meeting and Steph [Curry], he did the video for me and then said in front of the team that I had become elected alongside the great Coco Gauff," James said. "The moment just kind of hit me then. It's something that's super surreal. To be in the front of that boat, in Paris with all our Olympians, and holding that flag was just such a sense of pride."
LeBron James helped Team USA to another gold medal while en route to being selected as the Olympics MVP.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images With the Olympics now in the rearview, the attention shifts to the upcoming NBA season for the Lakers. James is fresh off signing a two-year contract extension with the team amid him being the league's oldest player. This past season, James became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points. This a season after he became the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
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James appeared in 71 games for the Lakers during the 2023-24 season, the most number of games he's played since the 2017-18 season when he suited up for all 82 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 54 percent shooting from the field, 41 percent shooting from the three-point line and 75 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
James was also named to his 20th consecutive All-Star appearance. The only time in his career he did not make the All-Star team was his rookie year in 2003-04.
The Lakers had to go through the play-in to qualify for the NBA playoffs, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans to earn the No. 7 seed. They were then eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in five games.
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