World has no answer for King James

BEIJING – The Alpha team in this Olympic basketball tournament has been well established.

The U.S. routed yet another opponent Saturday. The fact that Spain was the defending world champion and considered the second-best team in the tournament didn’t keep the Americans from putting up their highest point total and largest margin of victory yet, 119-82.

The Alpha male on this team?

That would be LeBron James.

Why? Because he says so.

“I’m the leader of the team and I make sure there’s no slippage,” said James, whose 18 points led Team USA against Spain. “It’s up to me.”

On a team that features Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, was it suggested to him by someone that he take this role?

“Nah, it’s me,” James said. “It’s all me.”

Well, then. How can you argue with that?

The numbers certainly don’t allow you to. Besides his 18 points Friday, which included a pair of 3-pointers for the streaky outside shooter, James added eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. In leading the U.S. to a 4-0 record and securing the top spot in Group B, James has averaged 15.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.8 blocks.

His actions don’t allow you to argue, either. He not only commands the basketball, races up the floor at every opportunity and defends with tireless effort, he also is the one American who constantly shows the type of brash emotion that is normally reserved for the NBA and is regularly frowned upon in Olympic play.

He has extended angry looks to a handful of opponents thus far, usually after embarrassing them, and he has had his share of verbal exchanges as well.

“Absolutely,” he said.

Anything memorable?

“Nothing I could tell you.”

That only means he is holding nothing back.

It comes across as James playing with anger, perhaps annoyed that his international basketball experiences have ended in disappointment.

But James describes it simply as passion. His teammates play with it as well. It’s just that James’ cup spilleth over.

“I’m not angry, it’s just emotion,” he said. “I want it.

“This is something I’ve waited for for four years after not getting a great opportunity in Athens. I’m not angry. I love basketball. I smile, too. You just didn’t catch it.”

Well, when you’re able to pull off the type of athletic feats James does almost every time down the court, it’s hard not to be impressed with yourself.

While James is smiling, his competition is cowering with fear.

What strategy could opponents possibly have when Kidd drops a bounce pass to a trailing 6-foot-8 James in full stride?

“Probably either foul or get out of the way,” Chris Paul said. “Same thing we think in the NBA.”

Dwight Howard is imposing. But as a 6-11 center, his game is limited to the paint. Dwyane Wade, who had 16 points and six rebounds, can intimidate at times with his quickness and skill. But at 6-4, he draws more oohs and aahs from the crowd, and not nearly as much “Oh, no!” from his opponents. Kobe Bryant can demoralize you by hitting contested fadeaways, but his shoulders are not as wide – nor is his chin as high above the rim as James’.

If there is fear to be instilled on the international stage, it’s James creating the panic.

“I think a lot of people don’t think I can make the plays I can make because I’m as big as I am,” James said. “But I’m always looking to attack, get my teammates into the game, get myself into the game. I kind of don’t worry about what the other team is thinking.”