Team USA has always been the occasion for meetings between traditional rivals, such as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, teammates in Barcelona with the “Dream Team” in 1992.
Three decades later, two other legends of the game, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, will also live for a few weeks in the same team, the time of the Paris Olympic Games. This prospect puts a huge smile on Stephen Curry's face, questioned by journalists during training camp in Las Vegas.
” Having LeBron as a partner is surreal, because we've had so many battles against each other. ” recalls the Warriors leader. ” You admire his game. But seeing him up close, how he prepares, how he communicates in practice, I've never been able to get that perspective of him. I'm excited to see how our games can complement each other, and build those automatisms that are going to help guide this team. »
Akron's Two Children
Between the best scorer in history with a vision of the game well above average, and the best shooter in history, the association can only make you salivate.
It comes more than 16 years after their relationship began, when LeBron James was a spectator to Stephen Curry's exploits at Davidson University during March Madness. It started out really well, not that it was bad at any point. And then he invited me to his house during my rookie year before we played Cleveland, in Akron. » Where LeBron James and Stephen Curry were born, in the same clinic.
The two stars then experienced many high-stakes oppositions, with four consecutive finals between 2015 and 2018 between the Cavaliers and the Warriors. The friendship turned to adversity, without acrimony, LeBron James had already assured the media on Sunday. In all of this, I firmly believe that you can be in a competitive spirit, have that killer instinct and the taste for blood when thinking about the opponent, but always have the utmost respect for who you are facing. ” Curry exclaims.
As the years went by, and with LeBron James leaving for the Lakers, the confrontations became less prestigious, just a playoff series in 2022/23. And the opportunities to rub shoulders on the court never materialized, with Stephen Curry set to discover the Olympic Games this season and the rumor that Golden State was interested in James during the last trade deadline.
” I am taking full advantage of this experience to get to know him more deeply as a teammate. ” concludes Stephen Curry. ” I think that's what we both deserve at this stage of our careers.”
