LeBron James and Stephen Curry went from bitter rivals to teammates as they both represented Team USA in the 2024 Olympics and brought home a Gold medal in basketball. After Los Angeles Lakers practice on Monday, James was asked about his summer tryst with Curry, sharing a heartfelt answer on what it was like to team up with him and if another team-up in the future is possible.
"It was everything and more. I was super excited to be able to finally team up with him in a win-or-die-type atmosphere. Being part of the Olympics, it was everything I dreamed of, and aspired to wanna be part of that team along with Steph. Great memories, something that I would remember from my basketball career for the rest of my life."
James and Curry were arguably Team USA's best players at the Olympics. James was awarded the Olympics MVP for putting up 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists over the tournament.
Curry had a very slow start to the tournament but was the USA's best player in the semi-finals and finals, averaging 14.8 points per game while shooting an impressive 47.8% from three-point range over the tournament, with many claiming he deserved MVP over James.
Their skill sets seemed to blend together perfectly, as James was playing as the primary ball-handler and creating amazing looks for Curry, who was essentially the off-ball shooting guard benefitting from James' incredible space-creating abilities. It legitimately looked like a near-perfect duo with complementary offensive skill sets.
An NBA team-up looks unlikely at the moment with the 39-year-old James committed to playing with the Lakers alongside his son, Bronny, while the Golden State Warriors are determined to ensure Curry retires as a one-club man and never leaves the franchise.
The Warriors did make an attempt at acquiring LeBron via trade last winter, but those talks were instantly shut down and went nowhere. If the Lakers were to ask the Warriors about Curry's trade availability, a similar response would likely be headed their way given the incredible value both players provide to their respective franchises.
A LeBron James And Stephen Curry Duo Would Be Must-See TV
If LeBron and Curry were on one NBA team together for a season, that team would likely dominate all viewership records in the league for that season. These are the two biggest modern NBA stars who were also bitter rivals for half a decade.
The story between them as competitors is way too rich and everyone knows their skill sets would mesh well together and likely lead to additional glory for both.
James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists last season, being named to the All-NBA Third Team while the Lakers secured a Playoff spot through the Play-In Tournament.
Curry averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season, being named to the All-NBA Third Team as well but the Warriors would fail to make the Playoffs after their loss in the Play-In Tournament.
There is no realistic way to get James and Curry to be on the same roster, but the easiest way of doing so would be if James declined the player option on his contract next season and walked in free agency to take a minimum contract with the Warriors. This isn't even remotely realistic, so it seems the rivals will continue playing against each other for the foreseeable future.
