LeBron James continues to turn water into wine for club and country.
The soon-to-be 40-year-old was among the U.S.'s most important pieces during its 2024 Olympics run, conjuring up spells all across the floor. In a team — and tournament — filled with stars, James was its brightest.
His efforts were certainly appreciated by members of the American delegation. Fueled by strong performances from him, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, Team USA took home gold once more, adding yet another piece of hardware to James' overfilled collection. The Americans outlasted France 98-87 on Saturday to complete a perfect run to gold.
It's not his first date with the Olympics' most precious ornaments. It could very well be his last, however. With that, here's what you need to know about James' history with gold at the Olympics.
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With Team USA's victory over France on Saturday, James secured his third gold medal. He also garnered gold at the 2008 and 2012 Games, held in Beijing and London, respectively.
James has been a prominent figure on the roster in each of the three sides, dovetailing leadership responsibilities with Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and, now Stephen Curry.
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List of LeBron James' Olympic wins
2008
James' first taste of Olympic gold came in 2008, when he, Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony led USA basketball to glory. The "Redeem Team", which suffered the ignominious fate of a bronze medal finish in 2004.
James was faultless for much of the tournament, posting averages of 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 60.2/46.4/45.8 shooting splits. James was the second-leading scorer on the team behind Wade and played the most minutes of any American, averaging 24.8 ticks a game. All told, it was an impressive Olympic debut by the then-Cavaliers superstar. USA ran through its gauntlet with relative ease, save for a barn burning gold medal match against Spain, recording a spotless 8-0 record en route to an Olympic title.
2012
James' saw his scoring averages dwindle ever so slightly in London, with Durant and Anthony taking on more of the scoring load. He was still as efficient as ever, hitting 60.3 percent of his shot attempts. But James averaged "just" 13.3 points per game in 2012, a drop-off from the totals he put up four years prior.
At first glance, such a phenomenon could appear to represent a changing of the guard. In reality, though, James simply took on increased responsibilities as a facilitator. He recorded averages of 5.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds in 2012, offering up his playmaking chops to the likes of Anthony, Durant, Bryant and Kevin Love.
Once again, his contributions were valuable ones, with the U.S. waltzing past its opponents to the tune of an average margin of victory of 32.125 points. Once again, the Americans went 8-0 en route to Olympic gold.
2024
Twelve years after his last appearance in a USA kit, James teamed up with Curry and Durant for one last ride, this time in Paris. He looked right at home in Bercy Arena, strutting his stuff against world's best, some of whom were half his age.
James showed off all the tricks of the trade he has acquired over the course of his 22-year career, recording the fourth triple-double in Olympics history in an epic semifinal victory against Serbia and following it up with a 14-point, 6-rebound, 10-assist outing against the French to secure Olympic gold medal No. 3.
James commanded the floor to great acclaim throughout the tournament, shooting more than 65 percent from the field. He placed second on the team in scoring (14.2 points per game), first on the team in rebounding (6.8 rebounds a game) and first on the team in assists (8.5 assists per game). For his all-around efforts, James was awarded Olympic MVP, joining Durant and Manu Ginobili as the only players to receive the honor.
