Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James finally got to team up with his long-time rival Stephen Curry this summer when they both played for USA Basketball during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Arguably the two greatest players of their generation were finally on the same side and they did not disappoint, leading USA to a gold medal in thrilling fashion. When things got tough and games were going down to the wire, everyone looked at James and Curry and they delivered time and time again.
It was a special experience for both Curry and James, who are used to going up against each other in big games. Not only did they get to play together, but Curry spoke about how much their friendship grew from this experience as well, via Natasha Dye of People:
“All the battles we’ve had on the court and the back and forth, the fact that we actually got to be teammates, not just in any game like an All-Star game or whatever, but in high stakes basketball with a lot on the line…I think there’s a deepened respect and friendship there,” Curry says while discussing his new investment and partnership with Nirvana Super Waters & Seltzers.
“Hopefully, there will be more experiences in the future, even if we’re teammates or not,” he adds, noting that the two basketball greats “still have to compete against each other until it’s all over” when they return to their respective NBA teams for a new season in October.
What James and Curry are continuing to do at their respective ages is nothing short of amazing as they both remain amongst the best in the world. The same can be said for Kevin Durant, and Curry said the three aging stars are pushing each other to keep going with how hard they work:
The Warriors guard says he got to witness James’ work ethic “up close and personal” in Paris, and he tells PEOPLE that the secret to athletic longevity for himself, 35-year-old Durant and James at this point in their careers is “not by accident.”
“It’s everything that most people don’t get to see. It’s the time on the recovery table, it’s the time in the weight room, it’s day in, day out,” explains Curry, who says staying hydrated with Nirvana Super Waters (which include HMB, a natural substance the company says helps individuals build and maintain lean muscle mass) has become a staple of his recovery routine.
“That little bit of investment in preparing your body and your mind to perform. There’s nothing really glamorous about it. It’s extremely hard work. It gets monotonous at times and dealing with all the bumps and bruises of being an athlete, injuries that you have and all that type of stuff, it’s a grind.”
“I think we motivated each other even more to however much longer we have left playing,” Curry adds of his Olympic experience with James.
Hopefully everyone can appreciate what James, Curry and Durant are doing as it is unprecedented and won’t last forever. But now after a summer of playing together, they will all go back to being division rivals on their respective NBA teams.
LeBron James & Stephen Curry named to FIBA’s Olympics All-Star Five
LeBron James and Stephen Curry were recognized for their outstanding play for USA Basketball in the 2024 Olympics by being named to FIBA’s All-Star Five along with Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama and Dennis Schroder.
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