Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry sounded off on his relationship with Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James during an interview with NBA writer Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated.
Curry said his connection with James is “complex.”
Curry and James are friends. However, the two future Hall of Famers are fierce rivals on the basketball court.
The Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers faced each other in four consecutive NBA Finals in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Curry went 3-1 versus James, but LeBron’s Cavaliers won the 2016 championship in historic fashion by becoming the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors Updates
Curry and James went head-to-head again in the 2023 playoffs, this time in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Lakers beat the Warriors in six games, and after the series ended, Curry talked about his on-court rivalry with James.
“I mean, it’s just a battle every time,” Stephen Curry said about LeBron James. “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. But it’s just great basketball, great competition. 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.
“And so you love those experiences. Somebody’s gotta win and it’s part of the nature of what we’re dealing with. But there’s so much respect. And again, appreciation for the battles and experiences and the back and forths cuz it’s basketball at the highest level and that’s all you can ask for.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors Updates
Curry and James will never be as close as LeBron is with Warriors forward Draymond Green. However, the two superstars have a lot of respect for each other.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
