After winning gold medals in 2008 and 2012, and a bronze in 2004, LeBron James may have played his last game for Team USA. A source close to James told Yahoo! Sports he will not play for USA Basketball during the 2014 National Championships in Spain and is doubtful to participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The executive director of USA Basketball, Jerry Colangelo, confirmed to Y! Sports that James is not playing in the National Championships next year, and he doesn’t even plan to ask him.
The source told Y! Sports James’ decision is based almost entirely on being with his family and his two sons during the offseason:
“LeBron is going to be three years older during the next Olympics. He will have two older boys. He has a lot to endure with his family. He played in three Olympics. Everyone that knows LeBron knows it’s always based on a decision at that moment. But if the moment was today, the answer would be no.”
The source did leave a slight opening for a possible James return to international competition, though.
“The only way I could see him playing in the Olympics is if his country really, really needed him to play. But hasn’t he done enough?”
So far this summer, after James won his second consecutive title with the Heat, he’s traveled to China, the Philippines and Las Vegas, where his prep basketball camp is held. He’s also shot new commercials and gone to a number of different business meetings.
That’s forgetting to mention James’ opportunity next summer to opt-out of his contract with the Miami Heat and become a free agent again to sign elsewhere. That’s a lot to think about, and with three consecutive seasons playing all the way to the Finals, James is probably tired and in need of a break.
Do you think LeBron James will ever play for Team USA again?
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