<P> James did not play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but rejoined Team USA for the 2012 Olympics in London, England . He became the leader of the team with Kobe Bryant, who would soon be 34, stepping back . James facilitated the offense from the post and perimeter, called the defensive sets, and provided scoring when needed . During a game against Australia, he recorded the first triple - double in U.S. Olympic basketball history with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists . Team USA went on to win their second straight gold medal, again defeating Spain in the final game . James contributed 19 points in the win, becoming the all - time leading scorer in U.S. men's basketball history . He also joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win an NBA MVP award, NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP, and Olympic gold medal in the same year . Afterwards, Krzyzewski said James "is the best player, he is the best leader and he is as smart as anybody playing the game right now ." </P> <P> Standing 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and weighing 250 pounds (113.4 kg), James has started at small forward and power forward, but he can also play the other three positions . With career averages of 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, he is considered one of the most athletic and versatile players in the NBA, and has been compared to Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan . Since 2011, he has been ranked the best player in the NBA by ESPN and Sports Illustrated . </P> <P> Many basketball analysts, coaches, fans, and current and former players consider James to be one of the greatest players of all - time, often ranking him as the best small forward and in the top five overall . He has earned All - NBA honors every season since his sophomore year, All - Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014, and was named Rookie of the Year in his debut season . With four MVP awards, he is part of a select group of players who have won the award four times, including Kareem Abdul - Jabbar, Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell; James and Russell are the only two players who have won four MVP awards in a five - year span . While James has never won the Defensive Player of the Year Award, he has finished second in the voting twice and lists it as one of his main goals . James has appeared in the Finals eight times and won three championships . Some analysts have criticized him for not having a better Finals record, while others have defended him, arguing that his supporting casts were usually poor and, despite the fact that James had played well, his team was defeated by superior competition . </P> <P> Upon entering the NBA as a 19 - year - old rookie, James made an immediate offensive impact and led the Cavaliers in scoring . He holds numerous "youngest to" distinctions, including being the youngest player to score 28,000 career points . During his first stint in Cleveland, he was primarily used as an on - ball point forward . His shooting tendencies were perimeter - oriented, and he established himself as one of the best slashers and finishers in basketball; he led the NBA in three - point plays in 2006 . His combination of speed, quickness, and size often created matchup problems for opposing teams as he was capable of blowing by larger defenders and overpowering smaller ones . These qualities became more apparent in transition, where he developed a reputation for grabbing defensive rebounds and then beating the defense downcourt for highlight - quality baskets . Around this time, James was frequently criticized for not having developed a reliable jump shot or post game . Teams would try to exploit these weaknesses by giving him space in the half court and forcing him to settle for three - pointers and long two - pointers, a strategy famously utilized by Spurs coach Greg Popovich in the 2007 Finals, where James converted on only 36 percent of his field goals in four games . </P>

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