Despite some close games against Australia, South Sudan and most recently vs. Germany, Team USA is still the big favorites to win the gold medal in the Olympic basketball tournament in Paris in 2024. That has not lessened the star-studded team’s approach ahead of the competition, with veteran star LeBron James, in particular, impressing head coach Steve Kerr with both his attitude and effort in the lead up to the big show in the French capital.

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The dominance shown by the United States at an Olympic level is, of course, well known. We are, after all, talking about a nation that has won the gold medal in each of the past four tournaments. Indeed, aside from Argentina’s shock success in 2004 in Athens, Team USA has emerged victorious at every Olympics since 1988 in Seoul.

Among the current crop of stars in Steve Kerr’s roster, it’s the 39 year old LeBron James who is getting all the plaudits, and it’s clear that the two-time gold medalist is very much focused on completing a hat-trick.

In the run-up to the Paris games, the United States has won all five of their warm-up matches, beating Canada, Australia, Serbia, South Sudan and Germany. Kerr has been full of praise for James, who will turn 40 years of age in December, commenting;

“On every single drill he talks,” said Kerr. “He’s even in a shootaround walkthrough his voice behind the play, yelling out what’s happening, yelling out the scheme, his leadership by example. The guy is incredible and I mean I’ve known that forever, but to see it up close is pretty special.”

Kerr was even more complimentary in his assessment after James played a key role in helping the United States avoid a potentially embarrassing defeat to South Sudan and Germany, saying of the four-time NBA Champion, “He’s just got such an incredible competitive spirit and confidence in the clutch, and I think the whole team was embarrassed at halftime to be totally outplayed and down 14,” 

“And then I don’t think he was real thrilled about me not starting him in the third quarter, but I thought that next group that we put out there really did a good job defensively. And I looked down a couple of times and I can see LeBron champing at a bit to be out on the floor. As soon as he got out there and he went to work, he was brilliant.”

LeBron returned to the Olympic set-up after a 12-year hiatus and is clearly raring to go;

“It’s more miles put on these tires,” James commented, “But if I’m committed — which I am — to Team USA, then I’m going to commit my mind, body and soul to being out there for Team USA, representing our country with the utmost respect and go out there and play.”

Kerr’s roster, on the whole, is pretty damn impressive. He has LeBron James, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant as his experienced heads, as well as an ocean of other talents, including Joel Embiid (who made the move to play for the United States over both France and Cameroon), Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards.