LeBron James ended his last career Olympics with a gold medal after Team USA defeated France in the final at the Paris Olympics 2024. From being the flag bearer of Team USA to winning his first Olympic MVP, the 39-year-old enjoyed a perfect farewell to his remarkable Olympic journey.
After the victory, Sam Amick of The Athletic asked James which of his Olympic medal wins stood out the most. For James, it was clear that the most recent triumph held special significance.
“I mean, (this) is the best one because it’s the one that’s right now,” James said.
Paris Olympics was James’ third career gold win. While answering the reporter, the Los Angeles Lakers star also acknowledged the importance of his previous Olympic victories.
“Obviously, the Redeem Team in ’08 had a lot of significance—we had to come back after a couple of years where we weren’t playing to our capability. So in ’08, we had the Redeem Team come back, and then in ’12 we played some good ball as well and were able to win that in London,” he added.
LeBron James’ MVP Win Faces Criticism from Stephon Marbury
LeBron James’ MVP win in the Paris Olympics has sparked significant debate, with some questioning whether he was the right choice for the accolade. Team USA coach Steve Kerr voiced his opinion, suggesting that Devin Booker was the “unsung MVP” of the tournament.
Former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury also joined the conversation. He expressed his disagreement with the MVP decision.
“They gave the MVP to the wrong player. Maybe they called out the wrong name by accident,” Marbury wrote in an Instagram post.
“I think we need to try to rewind the moment when [Stephen Curry] displayed himself as the best shooter who ever touched the ball. In international ball, if you can’t shoot, you can’t have the ball at the end of the game,” Marbury added.
Despite the criticism, James had an outstanding tournament, averaging 14.2 points, 8.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
