LeBron James had to take an unusual step with his wife Savannah before playing in the Olympics
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Headlining a star-studded United States men’s basketball team at the Summer Olympic Games this month is LeBron James — but there reportedly was a time earlier this year when uncertainty reigned as to whether James would be on the plane to Paris.
At 39 years old, James understands he has precious little time left as a pro basketball player, and the 2024 Olympics are almost certainly his final Games. However, not even the NBA’s all-time leading scorer can unilaterally decide to join Team USA. James needed to ask an important person in his life before accepting the invite.
According to NBA insider Tim Bontemps, LeBron needed to get “clearance” from his wife Savannah before joining a team that includes Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid — all former NBA MVPs, just like LeBron himself.
LeBron, a four-time NBA champion with three different teams, does not often get to spend extensive time with Savannah during the summer thanks to his habit of making deep NBA playoff runs. That wasn’t the case this summer, as LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the first round. And even still, Savannah gave her approval for LeBron to play in Paris.
LeBron has not played for the United States since the 2012 Olympics, when he secured his second gold medal in London. He will go for gold medal #3 this summer with a new “Dream Team” — and many expect him to get it. The first step will be leading the US to a win over Serbia in the opening group game on July 28.
