• LeBron James and Kevin Durant will need Nike to incentivize them to play for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics
• Robert Horry thinks Nike controls the future of Team USA at the Olympics
• This will probably be the final chance either player plays for Team USA
LeBron James hasn’t played for Team USA since the 2016 Olympics, while Kevin Durant last balled out in the 2020 Olympics. The question is, will either player return to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Robert Horry believes Nike holds the key to the answer.
(Starts at 16:08)
“Hey, it depends on what Nike says. If Nike tells those two guys to get their a**** out there and we’re gonna give you x amount of dollars, they are going out there.”
A lot of allegations have been hurled at Nike about their level of control over Team USA. We all know that shoe and jersey sponsors can have immense sway over certain aspects of the game, but it may be naive to think that the selection of the Team USA roster is completely free of bias.
Do Team USA Need LeBron James And Kevin Durant Back?
Kevin Durant played an integral role in the 2020 Olympics victory and could solidify his name as the greatest Team USA player in history if he competes in one more Olympics and brings home another Gold. Durant is the all-time leading scorer for Team USA in official tournaments, overtaking Carmelo Anthony during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that took place in 2021 due to COVID-19.
LeBron was incredibly dedicated to Team USA for most of his career. He participated in the 2004 Olympics as a rookie but only earned the bronze medal on a very poorly constructed team. He would end up playing a leading role in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic wins, with both rosters being considered among the greatest in Olympic history.
If both these players are declared as available, it may be the final chance we get to see them share the court together in a competitive situation. Maybe even Stephen Curry declares and we see a final hurrah for this generation’s three best players on the Olympic stage.
Was Trae Young Snubbed Because He’s An Adidas Athlete?
One of the first allegations made against Team USA for being controlled by shoe sponsors came when Gilbert Arenas said Trae Young wasn’t selected for the FIBA World Cup because he’s an Adidas athlete.
“It’s that sorry a** other brand! It’s that other brand! It’s that other brand, man! They be doing too MFing much!”
Many pointed to Anthony Edwards also being an Adidas athlete to debunk that theory. Edwards isn’t the only Adidas player to have made the cut, as backup center Walker Kessler is also signed with the German shoemakers.
Edwards is the leading star of Team USA, and it’s clear shoe politics didn’t slow him down. The same goes for Kessler, whose inclusion seemed premature to most fans. Even if corporate conversations have come into the mix, it doesn’t look like merit has been completely removed from the equation.
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