No more bronze medals for LeBron James. This time he's coming home with gold -- and that's a guarantee.

So he says, anyway.

James made his guarantee in a Time magazine story that hits newsstands tomorrow. The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar is featured on one of the covers of the Olympic preview issue.

After comparing the feeling of receiving a gold medal on the podium to opening a prized gift on Christmas morning, James was asked if that meant he would lead the Americans to the title.

"Absolutely," James responded.

Asked if he guaranteed it, he repeated, "Absolutely."

The Americans are the favorites, but they haven't won a major title since the 2000 Olympics. James was on third-place teams in the '04 Games and the '06 world championships.

James has a mildly sprained right ankle and likely won't play tomorrow when the Americans face Canada in an exhibition game before leaving for China.

Swimming

Eric Shanteau, who decided to put off surgery for testicular cancer until after the Olympics, has been cleared to head to Beijing with the U.S. swim team.

"It's just a big weight off my shoulders, more than anything else," Shanteau said. "I'm walking a little lighter right now, which is great."

Since being diagnosed last month, he's been closely monitored to make sure there's no sign the cancer is spreading. This week, after getting the results of a final round of blood tests before the team breaks camp in Palo Alto, Calif., the 24-year-old swimmer was given the go-ahead to make the trip overseas.

Shanteau's doctors told him he shouldn't be at risk competing at his first Olympics, though he will head back to the United States before the closing ceremonies. He plans to have surgery at Emory University hospital in his native Atlanta shortly after he returns.

Baseball

Colorado second baseman Jayson Nix was picked to round out the U.S. baseball team headed to the Beijing Olympics. The Rockies optioned Nix to Class AAA Colorado Springs on Saturday so he'd be eligible to play in the Olympics.

USA Baseball also announced three minor leaguers to replace players who initially were picked for the team. Pitchers Jeremy Cummings of Tampa Bay and Brian Duensing of Minnesota will join San Francisco outfielder Nate Schierholtz.

They are replacing pitchers Clayton Richard of the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco's Geno Espineli, who were called up by their big league clubs, and injured St. Louis outfielder Colby Rasmus.

Volleyball

Brazilian beach volleyball star Juliana said she expects to compete in the Olympics -- and win -- despite a knee injury during qualifying that kept her off the sand for a month heading into the Beijing Games.

Elsewhere

President George W. Bush announced the delegation to the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics to be headed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The president also listed Michelle Kwan, a two-time figure skating medalist at the Winter Olympics who has made several trips to China on behalf of the U.S. government as a diplomacy envoy.