With the Los Angeles Lakers’ early playoff elimination, LeBron James now has more time to prepare for the Olympics, benefiting the U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team. The Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets on Monday, giving James extra time to rest physically and mentally before competing for Team USA in Paris.
At 39 years old and with the sixth-most games played in NBA history, any additional time for James to gear up for the Olympics is crucial, especially with France emerging as a strong challenger to the Americans. A deep playoff run by the Lakers could have affected James’ Olympic plans, but now it looks like he will be fully prepared for his fourth Olympic appearance.
Additionally, Lakers center Anthony Davis, who is also a member of the U.S. team, will have time to recover from a shoulder injury sustained during the series against Denver.
In other Olympic news, Gabby Douglas, the first Black woman to win the all-around gymnastics title at the 2012 London Olympics, made her return to competition at the American Classic after an eight-year hiatus. While she struggled in some events, Douglas performed well on the floor routine and posted a solid all-around score of 50.65. She aims to improve before the U.S. Gymnastics Championships and Olympic Trials.
Furthermore, two Americans qualified for the Paris Olympics in canoe/kayak events at the U.S. Olympic trials. Evy Leibfarth, a 20-year-old from North Carolina, qualified in three events, making her the first American to compete in three whitewater events at the Olympics. Casey Eichfeld, a 34-year-old from Pennsylvania, also qualified for his fourth Olympics in slalom.