Steve Kerr ‘blown away’ by LeBron James’ leadership and focus with Team USA

With LeBron James at the helm, Team USA is poised for success in the Olympics.

Steve Kerr ‘blown away’ by LeBron James’ leadership and focus with Team USA

LeBron James and Steve Kerr

Steve Kerr gained a new appreciation for LeBron James’ game while working with him on Team USA. Kerr has been impressed by James’ effort, concentration, and focus leading up to the Olympics, as he noted that he’s “blown away” by James’ leadership by example.

While Kerr hasn’t used LeBron James for more than 21 minutes in a game yet, he may rely on him more heavily during the Olympics. James, Steph Curry, and Joel Embiid have been consistent starters in all three games, with Kevin Durant’s return to practice adding another starting option for Kerr.

Pretty amazing. I'm just blown away by his effort, concentration and focus in every single drill. He talks. Even in a shootaround [or] walk-through, his voice [is] behind the play yelling out what's happening, yelling out the scheme.
Steve Kerr at the team’s practice

Coach Steve Kerr has been experimenting with his starting lineup, but James’ leadership and facilitation skills make him a natural fit to lead the team. While James can still take over as a scorer when needed, he has a supporting cast of talented players like Curry, Durant, Devin Booker, NBA champion Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Edwards to share the load.

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Overall, Kerr like most fans and most lovers of the game is impressed by James’ dedication and leadership, saying. With the King at the helm, Team USA is poised for success in the Olympics.

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Steve Kerr Takes Blame for Team USA’s Close Call Against South Sudan”

Team USA narrowly escaped an upset loss to South Sudan in a Saturday exhibition game in London, winning 101-100. Head coach Steve Kerr took responsibility for the team’s lack of preparation and at the same time praised South Sudan’s performance.

I did not do a great job preparing our team," Kerr said after Team USA's 101-100 win. We did not focus enough on what they're capable of, and that's on me. I think that really allowed South Sudan to gain confidence early.
Steve Kerr in a post-game press conference

Team USA trailed by as many as 16 points and faced a one-point deficit with 20 seconds left, with LeBron James’ layup with eight seconds left barely securing the win. South Sudan’s Marial Shayok led with 24 points, and Carlik Jones narrowly missed a late game-winner while posting a triple-double.

Team USA’s close call against South Sudan was the closest exhibition contest leading up to the Olympics, with their previous wins over Serbia, Canada, and Australia having wider margins of victory. Kerr will look for a more consistent performance from his team of NBA All-Stars in their final exhibition contest against Germany on Monday before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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