LeBron James Confirms What Kobe Bryant Wouldn’t Let Team USA Do During Olympics 2008

When two superstars share the floor, it isn’t always a formula for success. But for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics, the pairing of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James proved essential to winning gold. “[Kobe] and LeBron developed a relationship that was needed to create the culture, and they did,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski has said. That bond not only helped define the Redeem Team but also underscored why LeBron’s presence was so vital to restoring U.S. dominance on the international stage.

Despite being in China to promote the new LeBron 23, the Lakers star flew to Springfield for the Hall of Fame ceremony—yes, while still active. Alongside Chris Paul, he made history as one of the first NBA players inducted while still playing, as the entire 2008 Redeem Team was honored. Naturally, LeBron used the moment to reflect on Kobe’s influence. “I think it was just the missing link that we needed in order to regain the dominance, you know, with Team USA. We brought a sense of seriousness to the team.”

He continued and explained what truly changed from 2004 to the 2008 team. “He (Kobe) made us lock in, and we knew once he joined that he was going to be committed to it. You know, we couldn’t be doing nothing half-a–“. Mamba Mentality was instilled in everybody as the then 3x NBA Champ came to practice. “Kobe wasn’t going for that, so it made myself, CP, D-Wade, Melo, we all locked in even more because we wanted to show him that we can get to that level as well. So, you know, it was just an honor to be out there with him.”

It was not just honor, but also proving a point to Kobe Bryant—who was coming off an MVP year, while shouldering an injury. Since LeBron was young, he wanted to leave a lasting impression by putting in the hard yards. “I was 23 years old, you know, and being out on the floor with him, you know, he had already won championships before and things of that nature. So it was levels that I was trying to get to, and D-Wade had already won one. And so we just wanted to get to his level and make him proud. And by the end of that trip, we was hosting that gold medal on top of that podium. We for sure made him proud, for sure.”

The very lesson LeBron, Wade and Melo had sought to learn—the relentless pursuit of victory, the unflinching will to win—was personified by Kobe himself in the final moments of that championship game against Spain. With the clock winding down and the game hanging in the balance, Kobe Bryant, the same man who had inspired their hard work, stepped up. He wasn’t just there to mentor; he was there to dominate.

And with the ultimate respect for the moment, he delivered a performance that echoed every word LeBron had said about him. He hit a series of clutch shots, including the iconic, dagger three-pointer over Rudy Fernandez, a shot that sealed the victory and the gold medal, proving that his legendary status was not just a title, but a testament to his ice-cold, clutch-performing nature.

Bryant, then 29, was the de facto veteran leader of one of the most loaded rosters in basketball history. Dwyane Wade may have been the team’s leading scorer, but he did that scoring off the bench, with Bryant leading the action as the team’s starting shooting guard. For Kobe Bryant, this is his second HOF moment. The first one, too, was posthumously enshrined after his unfortunate death in 2020.

LeBron James’ teammate explained why Kobe Bryant became a leader of the team

After a shocking bronze finish in 2004, Team USA had something to prove at the Beijing Olympics. Led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and others, they dominated every game. With an 8-0 record and a thrilling final win over Spain, they brought gold back home. They redeemed the name of Team USA basketball at the Olympics level.

The most iconic highlight of the 2008 event was Kobe going through his Lakers teammate, Pau Gasol, in the Final. The 3x NBA champion made the calculated move.

“But Kobe did right and I think he knew who to do it to. He did it to his brother; he knew he wouldn’t respond too. So I’m gonna do this to demonstrate a certain mentality that you have to have to win this game, because remember, the LeBron was young.” Michael Redd, the former Bucks sharpshooter, insisted that since the team had more young superstars, Bryant took it upon himself to set the winning mentality.

“LeBron was 23, Carmelo was young, Chris Paul was young, Dwight was young, most of our team was young guys…So Kobe was kind of being an alpha in that moment of demonstrating how serious you need to take this.”

It’s been 17 years since that moment, but the team and Kobe Bryant’s leadership still live on. Over the years, we have heard more of these stories. Today, being the Hall of Moment for the Redeem moment, it felt right again to relive it.