<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Las Vegas- LeBron James cannot erase the sting of the United States' third-place finish in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. His feelings have not gone unnoticed. "LeBron really doesn't have to say anything," said Antawn Jamison, a member of the Team USA training camp roster. "You can tell how disappointed he is especially when [coach Mike Krzyzewski] brings up certain things that happened in 2004. LeBron and the other guys who played on that team want to put the last Olympics behind them and redeem themselves." Team USA will get their chance for redemption in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and that path began Wednesday during training camp at the Cox Pavilion on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus. Team USA will play in the World Basketball Championship in Seoul, South Korea, from Aug. 11-15 and in the FIBA World Championships in Japan from Aug.19 and hopefully to the finals on Sept. 2 or 3. The previous Olympics that resulted in a bronze medal for Team USA is a place James no longer wants to visit. He plans to do everything possible to produce a winning result in Beijing. "No one wants us to look at it like that, but for me and the guys that were on the last Olympic team, this is unfinished business," James said. "We have to regain our crown. It's about our pride, especially when you're representing your country. We have to set the example and prove to ourselves that we're still the best basketball players in the world." And James and many of the other players who played on the last Olympic team - Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony - set the standard on the first day of training camp. "We scrimmaged yesterday and the guys who have been in this situation before are standing out," Jamison said. "During the first practice, while guys were trying to feel out the situation, LeBron was going hard. You could tell the guys on the 2004 team were trying to set an example and establish this will be the team that will get it together." By example, James has practiced hard and he's been first in several sprint drills. Vocally, he's explained some of the internationally nuances to many first-time players and he's been the center of attention when leading the team in U-S-A chants. "I'm a leader on this team," James said. "Whenever I'm in this type of environment, I feel I need to be a leader. I know I'm only 21 but it's just me. There's a lot of guys here older but it's hard for me to come out here and not say anything." Point guard Chauncey Billups sees the determination in James and the different approach James is taking compared to his first Olympics. "LeBron and I have had a few talks about the differences in this team and the last Olympic team," Billups said. "For one, he said the preparation is different in that there's more of a focus on defense and more watching of film. And although LeBron is one of the youngest guys here, he's been vocal and directing guys and that's a role he's going to have to play on this team." </div> Source
