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LeBron James will be returning to the court sooner than expected. Only this time, he will be representing his country at the Paris Olympics. It was less than a year ago when Team USA could surprisingly only secure the 4th rank at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Along with a star-filled roster consisting of Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, etc, anticipation is high on the All-Time Leading Scorer to deliver a redemption arc. Fortunately, that is the direction towards which the Laker is heading.

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A few hours ago, LeBron James took to his official Instagram account to share something special with his 159 million followers. He had sported a pair of white USA Basketball shorts and iconic Nike sneakers. He topped it off with a bandana, and the 39-year-old seemed to be in full focus as several pictures showcased him dunking and controlling the ball during his practice session. In the caption, Bron pasted a ‘crown’ emoji below the carousel.

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Shrugging off his team’s disappointing exit from the NBA postseason, the vet seemed to be in the zone, while he attracted over a million likes! In today’s day and age of criticism following athletes, that wasn’t the case at all here. It was all praise and flowers for Bron. An NBA shooting coach by the handle Chris ‘Lethal Shooter’ Matthews represented the sentiments of thousands by writing, “It’s time to get GOLD!”. He wasn’t the only popular name praising the 39-year-old. Personnel from other fields joined it too!

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Celebrities, sportspersons, and fans- All lineup fanboying over LeBron James!

Among the first ones to react was renowned Indian Cricketer Suryakumar Yadav. He used a couple of ‘heart eyes’ to compliment the fourth picture in the post, which showcased LeBron James leaping high to dunk as the people around him watched on.

American rapper, Quavo, remarked “BANDEEN BRON (fire emoji)”. Kristopher London, an NBA enthusiast and Youtuber with over 3.59 million followers commented, “One of wun King (fire emoji)”.

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Many other comments were more specific about what they wanted out of the All-Time Leading Scorer. The same was made clear by an individual who wrote, “Olympic gold medal loading”.

LeBron James had been a part of the Team USA roster for three consecutive Olympics. While he could only secure a bronze in 2004, Athens, he managed to build up his play during the four-year gap and clinched the Gold during the 2008 Beijing edition and the 2012 London Olympics. Therefore, his return to the main lineup is almost a guarantee that Team USA will thrive in Paris!

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Diverting the attention away from the Olympics and back to the NBA, a fan chose to comment that the player should “Come to the Timberwolves, win that Championship”. This remark comes as doubts have been raised on whether the 39-year-old will choose to continue with the Lakers for another season. With his eldest son, Bronny, placing his name for the NBA Draft, there is a good chance the vet may end up going where his son goes.

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Under the leadership of Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves performed well before getting eliminated by the Mavs. Therefore, the fan may be of the opinion that a combined partnership of the vet and the youngster may be all that’s needed for the prestigious Championship ring.

Another netizen wrote, “Jordan or Kobe wasn’t doing this at season #22 and all the hater know it facts!”

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This was a reference to a long-running fan debate over who is the best player in the NBA. Also known as the ‘GOAT Debate’, it often pits Lebron against the likes of MJ and Kobe. The fan claims that Bron’s longevity works for him since he is going strong even after his 21 NBA season. He is doing this while His Airness played for only 15 seasons, while the ever-loved Kobe could only go up to 20.

Overall, the reactions in the comments section were in awe of the 39-year-old legend. While he may have been unsuccessful in securing his fifth championship ring this season, the Paris Olympics provides him with the opportunity to redeem his country. Seven more weeks remain, and LeBron James is making each day count.

If you wish to know more about the latest happenings in the world of the NBA, be sure to check out what Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius.

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Written by

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Ashmit Kumar

2,900 Articles

Ashmit Kumar is a Senior Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports with over three years of experience covering the NBA. A journalism graduate, Ashmit has been a crucial part of EssentiallySports’ NBA live trends desk for the past two seasons. His work extends beyond game coverage to include analysis of player endorsements, brand deals, and Team USA's Olympics campaigns.

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Edited by

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Daniel D'Cruz

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