OLYMPIC GAMES
LeBron James joins Team USA’s Olympic 300 club
Wednesday’s win over South Sudan brought up another milestone for the Lakers star, who is seeking his third gold medal at Paris 2024.
USA Basketball dominated their second group game of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from start to finish, beating South Sudan 103-86 in front of a 27,056-strong crowd at the Pierre Mauroy stadium.
It was also a night to remember for LeBron James, who contributed 12 points for his team against the Africans. That took his overall Olympic points tally to 306. Kevin Durant, who surpassed USA Basketball’s all-time Olympic points record holder Carmelo Anthony in the previous game against Serbia, chipped in with 14 to extend his record to 348. Bam Adebayo meanwhile topped the team’s scoring with 18 points.
LeBron James is now one of three American basketball players who have scored 300 points or more in the Olympic Games.
During his first three Olympic appearances (2004, 2008 and 2012), LeBron racked up 273 points. The four-time NBA champion was the top scorer in the first game in Paris, against Serbia, and added another 21 points to take his personal total to 294.
The basket that brought him to three hundred points was a connection with Anthony Davis. His Lakers teammate received the ball at the top of the key, Bron cut down the baseline to receive the ball, dunk the ball unmarked to hit the 300-point mark.
USA Basketball top Olympic points scorers
- 348 Kevin Durant (2012, 2016, 2024)
- 336 Carmelo Anthony (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
- 306 LeBron James (2004, 2008, 2012, 2024)
- 270 David Robinson (1988, 1992, 1996)
- 256 Michael Jordan (1984, 1992)
- 231 Charles Barkley 231 (1992, 1996)
- 217 Kobe Bryant (2008, 2012)
- 196 Chris Mullin (1984, 1992)
- 186 Dwyane Wade (2004, 2008)
- 171 Karl Malone (1992, 1996)
The other Americans with 300 points in Olympic Games
Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony are the two US legends with over 300 points. ‘The Slim Reaper’ is the top scorer with 368 points after leading USA Basketball in each edition since 2012, plus the total points in Paris. For his part, Anthony accumulated 336 points after participating in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.
James and Durant will have the chance to further increase their respective tallies in the third group game, against Puerto Rico on Saturday - the first between the two nations at the Olympics since the infamous 92-73 defeat in Athens 20 years ago.
Steve Kerr’s team will be keen to make it three out of three by beating Puerto Rico to finish the round as one of the top seeds. The knockout stage will be decided in a draw with the top two-ranked first-placed teams going into Pot D, facing teams who finished third in their group in the quarter final.