LeBron James and Stephen Curry had a great experience being teammates in the last Paris Olympics. They won a gold medal together. It might not sound as surprising as a team that had Steph, LBJ, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and so on, who are always going to be the favorite to win a tournament. But the kids who grew up watching basketball during the 2010s have vivid memories of the epic rivalry between the three-point King and the all-time leading scorer. From 2015 to 2018, the NBA saw a fierce contest between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers every time in the finals. LeBron James led the Cavs to the NBA Finals four times in a row to meet the same opponent, the GSW.
In 2017 and 2018, Steph also had KD as his teammate alongside Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. That Dubs roster was too hard to beat for the LBJ-led Cleveland side. But in 2016, James surely led the Cavs to do the unthinkable as they won the NBA Finals coming off a 3-1 deficit. However, that was the only time LBJ won against Steph’s Dubs in the NBA Finals. On three other occasions between 2015 and 2018, it was the Warriors all the way to the NBA throne. That period saw the height of the epic James-Curry rivalry. Now, its surreal to see these two great rivals come together as teammates and friends to win Gold in the Summer Games.
Stephen Curry Credits LeBron James For Boosting His Confidence In Paris
Initially, it was looking a bit problematic as Steph started his Olympics campaign with a low scoring and shooting average. However, when things mattered the most in the Semi-finals and the Finals, Stephen Curry proved why he is known as the greatest shooter in the game. If it was not for the three-point King, Steve Kerr’s side could lose the semis against Serbia and even the finals against the home favorite, France. Curry’s impeccable shooting skills sealed the deal for Team USA in the Finals, and he even celebrated with his iconic ‘Night Night’ pose. Recently, on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,’ the three-point King credited his rival turned teammate for instilling confidence ahead of the semis. Stephen Curry said that a lot of positive self-talk helped initially.
Team was winning, and he was playing his part well, setting good screens. He was trying to play harder and play good defense as well. But then, he always knew that he will have to make some shots because that’s exactly why he was there for. After the game against Puerto Rico during the pool play round, someone asked Curry, “What’s wrong with your shots, and are you worried about it?” In reply, Steph mentioned, “A flurry is coming!” As soon as he said that, LeBron James walked behind him, saying, “Damn right it is!” Stephen Curry said that the baritone voice of James got him thinking, and he was like, “Yeah, yeah.” It sure helped him later as the “Flurry” came in the right time, said Curry.
James-Curry Duo Didn’t Disappoint In Paris
Previously, NBA fans have seen Curry and James team up for the All-Star games. But this time, it was more exciting and an even more intense experience as it was the Olympics. Looking at their age, it was perhaps the only time, fans could see James and Curry team up for the Summer Games. Will they ever team up in the NBA? Only time can tell.
But Stephen Curry said after they came back home from Paris, France, that he had gained even more respect and a greater friendship for LeBron James. The “Akron, Ohio-Connection” is all it took to make them great rivals cum friends at the end of the day. The NBA All-time leading scorer has always been famous for instilling confidence in his teammates, and that was the latest example. But both Curry and James enjoyed the experience for sure.
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