Team USA men's basketball has been dominant at the 2024 Paris Olympics as they are two wins away from snagging a gold medal. USA plays against Serbia on Thursday for a spot in the gold medal game. A big reason why Team USA has been so dominant is the play of LeBron James. Even as he ages and nears the end of his career, James continues to be one of the best every time that he steps foot on the court.
One person that has been a bit surprised by how good LeBron James has been is Grant Hill. He has been impressed with just about every facet of his game.
“The things that have surprised me (about LeBron) are his level of fitness, his level of play, and his overall leadership,” Hill said, according to an article from The Athletic. “To see sort of everything he brings to the equation on a daily basis … I think it is endearing as a teammate, and is part of why he’s been so successful over the entirety of his career.”
A lot of players' careers don't last as long as LeBron James'. A lot of players can't keep up well before they hit the age that James is now. However, it's not an issue for James. He is still dominating in the NBA, and he still dominating at the Olympics for Team USA.
“I respect how hard it is to be excellent at that age,” Hill said. “I also know, like, it can be exhausting, and the summer is an important part of your preparation for the upcoming NBA season. So I didn’t know what they had. Like I didn’t know fully what level they would play at. You can hope that they play at a certain level. So there was some uncertainty, I’ll be honest.”
LeBron James has exceeded expectations
Heading into the Olympics, people were wondering what level LeBron James would be at because of his age. He certainly isn't in his prime anymore, but he has looked like one of the best players at the Olympics. He has more than met expectations, and he has Team USA in position to win gold.
“Maybe it’s being paranoid, but what if LeBron at 39 1/2 years old, can’t be at that level? Then what?” Hill said in regards to his mindset before the Olympics. “He’s far exceeded that, and if anything he came in (to training camp) in probably the best shape (of any player on Team USA). He was the best player in the exhibition games and at times has been our best player in (Olympic) games thus far. So it was a unique set of circumstances. For our seasoned guys, what do they have? Father Time catches up. So I think that played a role a little bit in the depth as well.”
James and Team USA play Serbia on Thursday at 3:00 ET. France and Germany are also doing battle on Thursday. The winners will meet in the gold medal game, and the losers will fight for bronze.
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