“They beat the Warriors, it’s ridiculous” – Austin Rivers asserts LeBron James is still the anchor for Lakers 

There's no doubt that LeBron James is one of the best players the league has ever seen and many consider him as the GOAT. Even at 38 years old, James is still a great star in the NBA, leading the LA Lakers to significant wins during his tenure with the team.

Last season, he led the Lakers to the Western Conference finals, but ended up getting swept by the eventual NBA champions, Denver Nuggets. Austin Rivers recently shared his list of the seven current best players in the league. Surprisingly, he placed James in the seventh spot but justified his logic behind it.

"My best seven would be," Rivers said. "(Nikola) Jokic one, Giannis (Antetokounmpo) two, Steph (Curry) three. I'm gonna go Luka (Doncic) four. I'm putting (Joel) Embiid five, (Jayson) Tatum six, LeBron (James) seven. Those are my best seven players in the NBA.

"The LeBron one could be questionable for a lot of people, just at his age right now. But, like, he's just still so dominant in the game. Went to the conference finals last year, just because he decided to will that team there. They had no business going there.

Rivers gave credit to the Lakers' front office for their smart midseason moves, but still gave credit to LeBron.

"They did, but he still carries that team," Rivers said. "Like, it's still his team. They went to the conference finals again. They beat the Warriors. It's ridiculous. ... You're asking who's the best seven right now? Based off of what I saw this past season, LeBron is still top seven in the NBA."

James will play his 21st season in the NBA in the 2023-24 season, and many expect him to still be the same dominant force. Despite his age, LeBron ages like wine.

You might also be interested in reading this: “May not be like ... LeBron James, but it's a formidable team”: Philippine Basketball’s mixed reactions to lack of NBA superstars at FIBA World Cup

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Paul Pierce thinks LeBron James will play for Team USA in the Olympics next year

Team USA's FIBA World Cup 2023 roster hasn't impressed many people. There are only a handful of stars on the roster, and many were expecting the best players to play for the national team.

Next year, the Olympics will take place, and former NBA star Paul Pierce believes LeBron James will play for the national squad for the final time.

"I think they got a commitment on who's gonna go." Pierce said. "I think LeBron is gonna go. I think LeBron will be in the Olympics. This'll be his final Olympics. I think Steph will be there."

James hasn't confirmed it yet, but it would be a perfect ending to his storied career.

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