Despite being in Year 17 of his already illustrious career, LeBron James has not shown many signs of decline during the 2019-20 NBA season.
A groin injury last season robbed him of a successful first year with the Los Angeles Lakers, but James has been a force to be reckoned with as he is currently averaging a robust 25.0 points, 10.8 assists, and 7.7 rebounds in just under 35 minutes per game.
Playing alongside Anthony Davis has done wonders for James as he has another dominant All-Star player who can help ease the scoring burden from his shoulders and allow him to be more of a facilitator with the ball. The All-Star duo has meshed well in their first season together and they are the reason why the Lakers are currently sitting in first in the Western Conference.
Prior to their game against the Phoenix Suns, James, Davis and three other Lakers were named finalists for the 2020 United States Men’s Olympic Basketball Team roster. When asked if he would play, James was non-committal.
“My name is in the hat and it’s always predicated on one… my body, how my body is feeling at the end of the season,” James said.
“I hope to make a long playoff run. And then where my mind is and then where my family’s head is. So there’s a lot of factors but my name’s in the hat.”
James is no stranger to the Olympics as he has already appeared on three rosters, helping bring home the gold in 2008 and 2012. Even at 35 years old, the four-time MVP would be a massive addition to the 2020 roster as he is still more than capable of making an impact on a team that will surely feature other NBA All-Star players.
However, James has also been solely focused on the current season as Los Angeles has a legitimate chance to win the 2020 NBA Finals given how well they have played thus far. James may feel more inclined to play in the Olympics if the Lakers come away with a championship but for now, it is just a fun idea to consider him once again representing the United States on the global stage.
With the All-Star break nearly here, James and rest of the Lakers will finally get a well-deserved rest before they gear up for the rest of the season. Hopefully the break does them some good and they can get back to playing championship-level basketball.