Getty LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the sting of the 2023 FIBA World Cup still fresh, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is coming to the rescue for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
And former NBA star Gilbert Arenas is fired up about it.
“Do you see what ya’ll did? Ya’ll done f***** up. Bron coming,” a laughing Arenas exclaimed in an Instagram reel on September 11. “Ya’ll celebrated too early. The King coming. And he’s bringing all Louis Vuitton luggage, yeah. Not that outlet s*** that we had this last go around.”
Arenas has been outspoken in his distaste for this year’s FIBA World Cup roster including bashing their selection of Austin Reaves over Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, a rumored Lakers trade target. He went on to say that this will even have players like James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers ready to play like he did in his prime because of his ties to the fashion world.
The two-minute rant also included a message for 2023 FIBA World Cup champion Germany, saying that Team USA would win by “50” points next time.
Gilbert Arenas: “Ya’ll done f***** up. Bron coming!”
#Lakers #Olympics #Paris2024
Perhaps Team USA’s back-to-back losses to close out the tournament inspired James’ effort.
LeBron James Assembling Star-Studded Crew for Olympics
“LeBron James, a three-time Olympian, two-time gold medalist, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has so strong an interest in one more Olympics that he is ready to commit for next summer, and has also called multiple stars to essentially recruit them to join him with USAB in Paris,” wrote Joe Vardon on The Athletic on September 11.
According to Vardon, James has already recruited his Lakers teammate Anthony Davis. He is said to have gotten Stephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics on board too.
Suns star Devin Booker, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings are also interested, per Vardon.
Team USA has won four consecutive gold medals in the Olympics but has not won a FIBA World Cup since 2014 when they won the second of back-to-back gold medals. Of course, not everyone is convinced that it is James’ doing that so many star-level players have or are interested in playing for Team USA.
i love how lebron getting the credit for this 😂 like he leaned up in his seat like i gotta do something about it and grabbed the red phone for an emergency to assemble the avengers
“The undercurrent happening with Team USA is not just the 2023 World Cup but the 2024 Olympics which has a chance to be the most prolific Olympic tournament, the most intensely competitive Olympic tournament in the modern era,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” on August 7.
Even with the added emphasis on the Olympics, the risks might outweigh the rewards. At least from the Lakers’ perspective coming off of an injury-riddled 2022-23 season.
Olympics Risky for Lakers’ LeBron James, Anthony Davis
“The Olympics start July 26, 2024, and Team USA is expected to have a full training camp and preseason tour to perhaps multiple countries before arriving in France,” Vardon continued. “If any of the interested superstars make a deep playoff run, they would be making a massive commitment of their time and their bodies following a grueling season.”
James will turn 39 years old in December and missed 27 games last season dealing with various ailments, including a foot injury that may have required surgery.
He said he would never divulge if it did, though.
“If I do end up having surgery in the offseason, you guys won’t know,” James said via Left and Right on March 26. “I don’t talk to you guys in the offseason. And by the time next season starts, I’ll be fine, I’ll be ready to go.”
LeBron’s top 23 plays as #23
The Lakers, who finished seventh in the Western Conference at 43-39, were 13-14 without James in the lineup last season. They did make it to the Western Conference Finals with James appearing in the final eight games of the regular season and every playoff game, averaging nearly 39 minutes per game in the postseason.
Davis missed one fewer game than James last season, with the Lakers going 12-14 in those contests.