As per the NBA website, 67 current and former NBA players are part of the 2024 Olympics apart from the USA basketball team. The competition is difficult and Stephen Curry echoed the sentiment by stating, “We have appropriate fear of everybody.” Former Head Coach and 3X Gold medal winner, Coach K tries to explain the same thought process for Team USAB.

From being an assistant coach to the Dream Team and then leading the Redeem Team to the quest for gold, Coach K highlights the missing “awe factor” for LeBron James & Team USA basketball. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, the host asked Mike Krzyzewski about the challenges of coaching a Men’s National Team at the Olympics. Krzyzewski said throughout his tenure drilled into the players’ mindset that the only outcome was winning. He also pointed out the difference between today’s Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he was the assistant coach.

“So these teams are really good. You know one-quarter of the NBA are international players, so there’s not this awe factor that like the ‘Dream team’ had in ’92 where while we’re playing the US team.” Coach K also gave insights about the opponent players and their mindsets when they faced the USA Basketball team.

“These teams look at it as ‘hey a number of these guys that I play against them in almost a 100 games’ you know during the NBA season.” Performance from Nikola Jokić in the first group game where Serbia was drawing Team USA 81-81 for the 31 minutes he was on the court. Krzyzewski also explained why opponents also treat the game against USABMNT as a high-stakes knockout game.

“It’s an opportunity for them and one game, uh I think the mentality to have, like in the NBA, you can be the seventh game.” He continued, “You know this: you can be three and three, uh each game; Once you get into the medal round is a seventh game, the quarters, the semis, and obviously the finals, it’s one and done.”

Even though the USA basketball players are currently accessible because of the growth of the NBA, Mike Krzyzewski speaks what are the different factors that distinguish LeBron James from other standout players.

USA Basketball gunning for their 5th Gold medal streak

Having coached LeBron during the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, Krzyzewski highlighted that he was shocked by the athleticism at first. Plus, adding intelligence, leadership roles, and the preparation to win makes ‘King James’ different. Adding that the Lakers star would stretch for over half an hour to not only prepare himself but his body as well.

Back in 2018, LeBron explained why he put himself through the grueling training process. “Very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I’ve always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space.”

Seemingly what seems like his last Olympics, LeBron James has been helping the USA basketball team with his clutch performances starting from the exhibition games. The team faces South Sudan, who also started their Olympic campaign in a winning matter against Puerto Rico.