LeBron James (#6) of the USA drives toward the rim in an exhibition game against South Sudan in London, United Kingdom, July 20, 2024. /CFP
The USA came so close to losing to South Sudan, until 39-year-old LeBron James made a decisive layup near the end of Saturday's exhibition game in London to give his side a 101-100 comeback victory.
South Sudan led by as many as 16 points in the game. James' day-saving play came with just eight seconds remaining. Twelve seconds before that, J.T. Thor knocked down a 3-pointer that nearly sealed the deal for South Sudan. They later had three more chances to score, but failed to convert any of them.
"I did not do a great job preparing our team, I think we did not focus enough on what they're capable of and that's on me," USA head coach Steve Kerr said after the game.
"They played a wonderful game and the ending was good for us just to feel that. To feel what it's going to be like in Paris and Lille," he added. "A good reminder that when we play against teams, it's the biggest game of their lives, and we have to expect everyone to play like that."
James shot 10-for-14 from the field en route to tallying 25 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the USA. He completed a 3-point play and drained a triple in the team's 23-5 run that spanned the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.
Stephen Curry (#4) of the USA shoots in an exhibition game against South Sudan in London, United Kingdom, July 20, 2024. /CFP
"Don't take nothing away from South Sudan," James said. "They played extremely good basketball and that's why the game is won in between the lines and not all on paper."
Stephen Curry struggled to make shots for most of Saturday's game, missing six of his nine attempts from downtown. But he drained two 3-pointers in the USA's late rally, after the team as a whole missed 14 of its first 15 triples.
"We can be beat if we don't play our brand of basketball. And our brand of basketball is playing defense," Curry said. "We didn't make them uncomfortable at all the first half and they took advantage of it. But we also learned we have that gear. If we can find it, no matter who's out there on the court, we can overwhelm teams for 40 minutes and it's a great reminder of both."
As the defending Olympic men's basketball gold medalists, the USA are in Group C with Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.