According to several media, across the Atlantic, the star of the Lakers, LeBron James, will not defend the American colors at the Olympic basketball tournament in Tokyo this summer. Prematurely eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, after the series lost against Phoenix, LeBron James is on vacation after a trying season, during which he suffered from injuries. He will not play for Team USA this summer, The Athletic said, citing sources close to the player.
36-year-old James suffered a serious sprained right ankle that kept him away from the prosecution for a month. He had been restored in time for the playoffs, which he played without being at 100% of his athletic ability.
Large tendon inflammation for Anthony Davis
After the loss to Phoenix, LeBron James, when asked about the prospect of seeing him join Team USA this summer, replied, somewhat jokingly: “Nah, I think I’ll play for Tune Squad this summer instead of the Games. Olympic ”. An allusion to “Space Jam: A New Legacy”, a film combining real images and animation, of which he is the star and which must be released on American screens one week before the start of the Olympics (23 July-8 August).
Gold medalist in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, James did not play in the Rio Games in 2016, after his third NBA coronation with Cleveland.
The same goes for Anthony Davis who first suffered from a large inflammation in the right Achilles tendon, radiating to his calf. Absent for two months, he was also able to make his comeback against Phoenix. But during match N.4, he injured his groin. Returned for the N.6 match, he only lasted a few minutes in the face of the pain that woke up, therefore giving up on continuing the match. Davis, who was also Olympic champion in 2012, also quit in 2016 after having had surgery on his left shoulder.
In March, the American Basketball Federation had drawn up a list of 57 selectable for twelve places. Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard, whose season is also over with Golden State and Portland, could be among the conscripts, according to The Athletic. The first, who could win a first Olympic gold medal, says himself at “50-50” to be on the adventure. As for the second, he is “very interested”.
:format(url)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/lescoopsdelinformation/BXDLJ3PBSBB2LKYNXLDIVHDAEE.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
