This nickname suits James well, and he loves it

After LeBron James proudly carried the USA flag alongside tennis sensation Coco Gauff at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, fans quickly bestowed him with the nicknames “Captain LeMerica” and “LeCaptain America.” Embracing this enthusiastic fan support, USA Basketball has officially adopted the “Captain LeMerica” moniker for the superstar forward.

In their Olympic opener against Serbia, Team USA delivered a dominant performance. Following the impressive victory, the team’s official social media shared a jubilant photo of James in action during the game. The post captioned him as “Captain LeMerica,” signifying their endorsement of the fan-generated title and celebrating his leadership on and off the court.

Team USA leader

The nickname “Captain LeMerica” perfectly fits LeBron James, reflecting his leadership role for Team USA. In their commanding 110-84 victory over Serbia, James delivered a standout performance with 21 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.

“Whatever it takes,” James remarked. “It’s going to be somebody different every day. And we have that type of firepower.”

At 39, James demonstrated he still has plenty of fuel in the tank, effectively competing against Serbia’s star player, Nikola Jokic, and his team.


In a dazzling display, James and Kevin Durant combined to make all 13 of their shots in the first half, propelling the US into a comeback position. Leading by nine points at halftime, the Americans then outscored Serbia by 17 points in the second half to secure the win.

“Having KD on my side is a treat for sure,” James said. “Everything he does in practice is at game speed, so when it translates out here, it’s no surprise.