LeBron James Wants More Olympic Glory

Three-time NBA finals MVP LeBron James says he is keeping his options open for a return to Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I did not retire from Team USA,” he told US sports broadcaster ESPN. “I just did not play this summer. So I still left the door open.”

The Americans advanced to the semifinals of the men’s basketball tournament with a convincing 105-78 win over Argentina on Wednesday.

A 12-time all-star, James chose to skip the Rio Games because he said he needed to rest after a long season.

“Every time I watch ’em, I wish I was out there,” he said.

The 31-year-old won two gold medals with Team USA in London and Beijing. He was also on the 2004 American team that lost three games in Athens, settling for a bronze.

James guided his team to the NBA finals in each of the past six seasons.

He returned to Cleveland from the Miami Heat ahead of the 2014-15 season and led the Cavaliers to the NBA finals in both seasons since then.

Cleveland lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 finals before beating the Warriors in the rematch for the first championship in franchise history.

Last week, James signed a three-year, $100 million (approximately R1.3 billion) contract that makes him the NBA’s highest-paid player for the first time in his career.

He has said he would like to own his own team someday.

“I would love to be a part of a franchise — if not at the top,” James said on the website Uninterrupted. “My dream is to actually own a team.”

“If I’m fortunate enough to own a team, then I’m going to hire the best general manager and president that I can,” he added.

“But I feel like I got a good eye for not only talent, because we all see a lot of talent, but the things that make the talent.”

James averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 76 games last season. In the postseason, his averages improved to 26.3, 9.5 and 7.6.