LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two of the NBA’s biggest stars, have long been rivals on the court, but in 2024, they joined forces to secure a gold medal for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Under their leadership, Team USA achieved a flawless 6-0 record, culminating in a 98-87 victory over France in the final.
After the game, James reflected on the experience of playing alongside Curry. He emphasized the importance of getting Curry the ball on offense due to his exceptional shooting skills. “You just marvel at his talent,” James remarked. “Obviously, I’ve seen it before, you know, on the opposite side. But having him on your side, you just try to get stops and figure out other ways on the other end, but keep finding him. Keep getting him the ball.”
James, Curry, and Kevin Durant were the veteran anchors of the Team USA roster. Head coach Steve Kerr’s primary starting lineup featured Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, James, Curry, and either Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, or Durant.
In the Olympic final, James took on the role of floor general, while Curry shouldered most of the offensive duties. Curry led the team with 24 points and five assists, shooting an impressive 8-of-14 from three-point range. James contributed 14 points and 10 assists, making six of his ten shots from the field.
At 39, James clearly relished the opportunity to share the court with Curry, whom he had often faced during the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty from 2015-2022, where Curry holds a 3-1 edge over James in NBA Finals matchups.
