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As he tries to lead Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, star forward LeBron James has picked up a new nickname along the way.
Basketball Reference added “Captain LeMerica” to James’ long list of nicknames following a tweet from USA Basketball after James helped lead the team to a 110-84 win over Serbia in its group-play opener on Sunday.
It’s been quite some time since James was referred to as “The Little Emperor,” “The Akron Hammer,” “L-Train” or “Benjamin Buckets,” so it will be interesting to see if “Captain LeMerica” sticks. At this stage in his legendary career, “King James” is his primary nickname, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.
James had 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help lead Team USA to its blowout victory over Serbia on Sunday. The 39-year-old is seeking his third career gold medal in what will likely be his final Olympic Games.
The new nickname for James comes nearly a week after Team USA’s viral debate of who had the best nickname on the roster. While “King James” received a lot of love, Kevin Durant’s trio of “Durantula,” “Easy Money Sniper” and “Slim Reaper” earned him the top spot.
James and Team USA will be back in action on Wednesday against South Sudan, which gave them trouble during an exhibition game prior to the Paris Olympics. A late layup by James helped the Americans avoid what would’ve been a monumental upset.
It can be expected that “Captain LeMerica” and company will be motivated to make a statement in Wednesday’s meeting.