LeBron James said Wednesday his health and his family will determine whether he tries for a record third basketball Olympic gold medal next summer.
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Team USA director Jerry Colangelo acknowledged he initially thought Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose was coming to the group’s minicamp that began Tuesday.
The Americans will wrap up their minicamp Thursday with another intrasquad exhibition, a game with lower intensity than last year and, they hope, no injuries.
National Basketball Association superstar LeBron James has been an integral member of Team USA’s past two gold-medal-winning Olympic teams, but “The King” isn’t guaranteed to play in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“I’ll talk it over with my family, and I’ll see how my health is”, James told a cluster of reporters after the 45-minute workout. We’ll keep an eye on James’ Team USA participation, but for now, fantasy owners should keep targeting him in the first round of fantasy drafts.
“Pretty much everything that we do, for the most part, especially with Team USA, we kind of do together”, James said. “It’s good to be back in a team setting”, said Durant.
Only James, Dallas’ Chandler Parsons and Paul George, who broke his foot playing in a U.S. scrimmage last summer, weren’t in the gym on the campus of UNLV on Tuesday, though Colangelo said James is expected Wednesday.
“I love being here with these guys”, said James, who along with Carmelo Anthony is looking to participate in a fourth Olympics with Team USA.
But all that basketball, plus his four straight trips to the NBA Finals, have put a heavy workload on the 30-year-old James.
For now, hes done what is necessary to give himself the option if he wants it. But we must not forget that there will be very serious competition, ” said Colangelo.
With 34 players now participating at Team USA’s mini camp this week, Colangelo and company have the tough task of choosing the 12 best players to represent the country in Rio. I’m a big boy, we can handle some of the negatives that come along, but it’s OK.
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“I’ve been part of USAB since I was 18 years old”. If I’m fortunate enough and healthy enough, and if my family is willing to allow me be a part of it, it would be great.
