LeBron on his pride representing the USA in the Olympics after winning a bronze medal

USA Today

3 hours ago

LeBron on his pride representing the USA in the Olympics after winning a bronze medal
In 2004, Team USA men's basketball came away from the Summer Olympics with only a bronze medal after losing to Argentina in the semifinal round. It was an embarrassment for the program, which seemed assured of winning the gold every time ever since NBA players were first allowed to participate in FIBA competition.
LeBron James played on the 2004 Olympic team, and its disappointing performance has caused some to mock him — some have even nicknamed him "LeBronze" as a result. Team USA would soon revamp its program by bringing in legendary Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski and Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant.
There were reportedly concerns about James' lack of maturity at the time, to the point where some feared he would single-handedly cause the team to not win the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics. But he said during a recent episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast that the squad's failure led to its players taking responsibility and having a sense of pride about representing the United States.
"Everything is city-based here," James said. "And it took a while for us, as far as the Olympics, to get that sense of pride back. We got our [expletive] kicked in 2004, and then we lost in the World Championship in 2006. It took us time to be like, 'Oh, this is real.'
"The rest of these countries not only are getting better with the game of basketball, but it's a sense of pride, too," James continued. "And when you have that sense of pride, you have a sense of work ethic that goes a lot longer. You have a sense of accountability that's a little bit longer. You have a sense of wanting to be there because you know what you're representing."
With Bryant leading the way, Team USA regained the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Games, and it was a jubilant moment for the program and all of its players. In 2012, Bryant manfully took a back seat and let James become the head honcho. The result was another gold medal.
Last summer, of course, after Team USA failed to medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant volunteered to play for Team USA in the Olympics once again. The squad won another gold medal, and James was named the MVP of the tournament for his all-around performance.