Team USA will seek their fifth consecutive gold in this summer’s 2024 Paris Olympic games, and once again, Lakers superstar LeBron James will headline the team. Even at age 39, James is among the best players in the world and will look to guide Team USA to the gold. James has been there and done that, and in what will be his last rodeo on the Olympic stage, James will look to reach that mountaintop again. The four-time NBA champion knows what it takes to get the job done and to do so; they must defend at a high level.

Defense wins championships, and James’ defense was on full display during Tuesday’s practice with one of Team USA’s coaches, Jeff Van Gundy. The cameras caught James playing lockdown defense on the 62-year-old former NBA coach.

Lakers’ LeBron James locks up Jeff Van Gundy during USA Basketball practice pic.twitter.com/iawYYZUYT0

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 9, 2024

Team USA was going over some defensive coverages, and James was like glue to Van Gundy. Although the caption is all for jokes, James was no joke on defense at the height of his powers. The future Hall of Famer has made six NBA All-Defensive Teams and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2013. Of course, he’s 39 now, and far from his All-Defensive prime.

The all-time leading scorer has not only made his presence known on offense, but he certainly has on defense. In order to bring home the gold this summer, James and the others must get their hands dirty and play some defense.