After Team USA stumbled in the 2004 Olympics and left Athens with just a bronze medal, the program needed a reset.
That turning point arrived in Beijing four years later, and LeBron James says Kobe Bryants arrival was the key to restoring dominance.
I think it was just the missing link that we needed in order to regain the dominance with Team USA, James said at the Hall of Fame. He brought a sense of seriousness to the team. He made us lock in, and we knew once he joined and he was going to be committed that we couldnt be doing nothing half a. Kob wasnt going for that. So, it made myself, CP (Chris Paul), D-Wade (Dwyane Wade), Melo (Carmelo Anthony) we all locked in even more because we wanted to show him that we can get to that level as well.
So, it was just an honor to be out there with him. I was 23 years old, and being out on the floor with him, he had already won championships before and things of that nature. So, it was levels that I was trying to get to, and D-Wade had already won one. And so we just wanted to get to his level and make him proud. And by the end of that trip when we was hoisting that gold medal on top of that podium, we for sure made him proud.
Team USA rolled to an 80 record in Beijing, with Bryant averaging 15 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field. His clutch performance in the gold medal game against Spain sealed the title and reestablished American dominance on the international stage.
For Bryant, the Olympic success carried into the NBA. After helping Team USA reclaim gold, he returned to the Lakers and won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010, finally conquering Boston in a seven-game Finals showdown.
READ MORE: Charles Barkley Slams Media Over GOAT Debate
