The basketball community was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience as the 2024 Team USA Men’s basketball team secured their fifth straight gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. For the first time and likely the only time LeBron James and Stephen Curry were able to compete together on the Olympic stage.
The rivalry between James and Curry has dominated the last decade as the two competed against each other in four finals. During their peak years of dominating the 2010’s the two all-time greats carried the burden of being the faces of the National Basketball Association. A decade ago the idea of seeing the NBA goat and the greatest shooter to ever exist share the basketball court together in a meaningful level of competition.
On an interview with Gojo and Golic James talked about his experience playing with his Golden State rival as members of Team USA.
What was it like for @KingJames to watch Steph Curry in his first Olympics?
“Steph did what Steph does, hitting those big-time shots & putting everybody to sleep. It was an unbelievable moment, and I was happy to be alongside of him.” pic.twitter.com/6WZnKZPnlg
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) September 20, 2024
“I’ve talked to him a lot about that and being in his first Olympic Games. He had played in a World Championship before but being part of the Olympics for the first time was new,” shared James. “You could see every single day, every single moment (Curry’s form) was right there. I knew the onslaught was going to happen. I knew the barrage and the avalanche was going to come down at some point.”
James reminisced about the final two games of their Olympic run where Curry erupted against France and Serbia as he let go of an avalanche of 3-pointers that led to the demise of both European countries.
“We saw it in the semifinals versus Serbia and we saw it in the Finals against the host team France,” James continued. “Steph did what Steph did hitting those big-time shots and putting everybody to sleep. It was an unbelievable moment and I was happy to be alongside him.”
It was really fun to see the two of them share the court together because for basketball fans it was an experience that they may only get to witness once, as both players are getting into the latter years of their careers. There have been rumblings that the two could team up to close out the final season or two of their careers before they curtain call.