The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in China this summer, and there is a chance that LeBron James will be suiting up for Team USA.
James spoke to Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints about the opportunity to represent his country:
LeBron James on if he's thought about the summer & playing for Team USA: "Absolutely. I've thought about how my summer is going to be. It's unfortunate that we're so far out of the postseason right now. Looking like we won't be a part of it…
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) March 17, 2019
James previously won gold medals with the Olympic teams at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games, but was not apart of the 2016 roster for the Rio Olympics.
As James mentioned, the Lakers are unlikely to reach the playoffs this season, which will be the first time in 14 years that LeBron is not part of the postseason picture. He has mentioned on numerous occasions how taxing the long summers can be on his body, particularly after eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances.
However, with the Lakers' season likely concluding in April, James will have more than enough time to take some time off and recover for another run with USA Basketball.
On the other hand, it also would not be a surprise if James took the full summer off, given how taxing this season has been mentally as well as physically.
James is likely to finish up a third consecutive season scoring at least 26 points with at least eight rebounds and eight assists. But his effort on the defensive side of the ball has been scrutinized repeatedly, and he has faced questions with respect to his leadership and commitment to the young players in the Lakers organization.
Still, playing alongside world-class talent on Team USA could be the kind of experience that revitalizes James and motivates him to have the Lakers in contention next season.
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