Team USA have made their way to the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics with a dominant 122-87 win over Brazil. LeBron James continued looking like the team’s most dominant player but suffered a setback when he checked out of the game for inadvertently taking a hit to the eye. Coach Steve Kerr revealed to the media after the win that James received four stitches for the injury.
“USA Basketball coach Steve Kerr said LeBron James got four stitches after taking an inadvertent blow to the head during a blowout win over Brazil.”
His status for the next game is unclear at the moment, but Coach Kerr showered praise on LeBron for his ability to be Team USA’s point guard.
“That’s who LeBron is. To me, for a guy who truly is a point forward at heart. For him to be the leading scorer in NBA history, well that’s kind of a secondary thing that he does. It’s crazy, but that’s LeBron. He’s kind of our point guard with this team, and he’s playing at such a high level.
James has embraced his role as the team’s primary creator, letting others do the heavy lifting on scoring. In the win against Brazil, James put up 12 points on 5-6 shooting from the field, dropping nine assists with three steals.
He’s averaging 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists on 67.6% shooting from the field in the Olympics. He’s second in assists per game while also shooting an incredible 81.5% on two-point field goals through for games at the Olympics.
Steve Kerr Is Consistently Impressed By LeBron James
It’s no secret that LeBron James has solidified his position among the greatest players in the history of the sport by having a work ethic that’s allowed him to have the biggest load in NBA history while also having the longest prime that we’ve ever seen.
Steve Kerr has been amazed by LeBron at various points in this process, with this the first time that Kerr has been able to coach LeBron instead of against him.
“Pretty amazing. I’m just blown away by his effort, concentration, and focus in every single drill. He talks. Even in a shoot-around [or] walk-through, his voice [is] behind the play yelling out what’s happening, yelling out the scheme. His leadership by example — the guy is incredible. I’ve known that forever, but to see it up close is pretty special.”
James has been turning heads all throughout camp, with young players looking at him as a source of inspiration. The four-time NBA Champion is turning 40 years old this year, though he doesn’t look even close to being past the point of consistently being in conversations for All-NBA teams with the expectation that he can still carry a team on his back.
LeBron has arguably been the best player for Team USA despite having Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant beside him. That’s a testament to his greatness and his overall ability to impact a game.
