espite not officially announcing his retirement, it appears highly likely that the Paris 2024 Olympics will be the final Games where Lakers superstar LeBron James competes with the US basketball team.
After signing a new contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James has not yet set a firm date for his retirement from basketball. However, the superstar born in 1984 has shared a significant detail about his future: he will definitely not be participating in the next Olympics set to take place in the US in 2028.
LeBron James Declines Participation in 2028 Olympics on Home Soil
In an interview with NBC about the possibility of competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, James stated: “I definitely won’t be there. The Olympics in Los Angeles? I won’t be around for that.”
After a hearty laugh with reporters, LeBron seriously added, “I live in Los Angeles year-round, but I won’t be in Los Angeles for the Olympics in 2028.”
This statement means that LeBron James will not participate in the next Olympics. By then, James will be 43 years old, a time when it’s uncertain if he will still be playing professional basketball, let alone representing the national team.
Paris 2024 Could Be LeBron James’ Last Appearance in the National Team Jersey
Although there has been no confirmation from “the man himself,” it’s highly likely that the Paris 2024 Olympics will be LeBron James’ last. At the age of 39, he will be the oldest player in the history of the US basketball team, surpassing Reggie Miller, who played at the FIBA World Cup in 2002 at the age of 37.
Alongside LeBron James, this year’s US team will be the oldest squad in US basketball history, with an average age of 30.1 years. Additionally, this will be the first time since 1996 that the US team has sent a squad with an average age over 28 to the Olympics.
LeBron James Teams Up with Stephen Curry for Paris 2024 Campaign
Paris 2024 will mark the fourth Olympics in LeBron’s career, having previously competed in 2004, 2008, and 2012. The 2008 and 2012 Games saw the US team win gold medals.
This time, LeBron James will lead a star-studded roster featuring names like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, and Anthony Davis to Paris, with the goal of defending the championship for the US basketball team.
