LeBron James unsure about playing in 2016 Rio Olympics

After Team USA’s gold-medal winning performance in the 2012 London Olympics, LeBron James told USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt that he wasn’t sure about playing in 2016.

LeBron James: “It’s been a great run honestly. I don’t know if I’m going to be part of the 2016 team.”

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) August 12, 2012

The point might be moot if David Stern’s concept of only allowing players 23 years and under compete in 2016 becomes practice. James will be 31 in 2016. But coming off perhaps his finest all-around year of basketball — complete with an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP award and an Olympic gold medal — there’s little reason to believe James wouldn’t be among the top veteran considerations for the team.

James is only a maybe at this point, but both Kobe Bryant and head coach Mike Krzyzewski have said they will not return in 2016.

If James did decide to play in 2016, he would be in a position to surpass both Bryant and Michael Jordan and win his third gold medal as a member of Team USA.