No two players personify the modern NBA era more than LeBron James and Stephen Curry. As two pioneers of the sport, they both changed the game in their own special way and are both considered the elite of the elite in the NBA.
Interestingly, Curry and James also have more history against each other than almost any other active players right now. In a chat with Sports Illustrated, the Warriors superstar got real on his “complex’ history with the King and the level of respect they have towards each other.
“It’s complex because you go from playing in the tournament, him coming to watch, to me coming in as a young rookie in the league and him giving me advice on how to get through some of the early struggles, that I was gonna go through as a player. To the four Finals appearances in a row playing against each other, to even last year playing in the playoffs again. So he’s a great dude, great friend, great competitor. It’s amazing to go back and look at where it all started.”
“It’s complex because you go from playing in the tournament, him coming to watch, to me coming in as a young rookie in the league and him giving me advice on how to get through some of the early struggles, that I was gonna go through as a player. To the four Finals appearances in a row playing against each other, to even last year playing in the playoffs again. So he’s a great dude, great friend, great competitor. It’s amazing to go back and look at where it all started.”
James And Curry Bring Out The Best In Each Other
This past season was the latest episode of the James vs. Curry saga, and many were surprised at the results. Despite Curry doing his usual magic, LeBron and his revamped Lakers team proved too much in the end.
Looking back, the series wasn’t the greatest we’ve seen from these two, but it was a statement that they still have plenty of fight left to give.
“I mean, it’s just a battle every time,” Curry said after losing the series to the Lakers. “And I know there are a lot of different narratives within each of the series that we’ve had and different teams and teammates and all the above. Understanding who LeBron is and who he’s been his entire career and the accolades and the championships he’s won, and the records that he has. Like, he’s an amazing basketball player. And he brings the best out of you, and you know you have to be your best if you’re gonna try and beat him. And I think he feels vice versa.”
We may never see James and Steph battle it out in the postseason again, or maybe this past year was just the first of a string of meetings between the two. Either way, nothing can erase their storied past and the countless moments on the court they experienced while sharing the court together.
