“It was like a healthy resentment of somebody that’s standing in your way” – Steph Curry describes the rivalry between him and LeBron James

Since time immemorial, the NBA has capitalized on rivalries to create excitement, fuel competition, and attract more viewers. In the 1980s, there were thrilling showdowns between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, while the 1990s brought us intense battles between Michael Jordan and Karl Malone. It's been all about Steph Curry versus LeBron James in the last decade.

Curry's emergence with his unprecedented long-range shooting and the Golden State Warriors multiple championships challenged LeBron’s reign. Their four consecutive NBA Finals showdowns (2015-2018), with the Warriors clinching three titles, marked a unique and intense rivalry in NBA history.

In an interview with The Athletic, Curry talks about his complex relationship with LeBron, especially at the height of their showdowns in the NBA Finals.

A healthy resentment

Since LBJ arrived in the NBA in 2003, he quickly moved to make the league his own. With prodigious skills, a ready-for-the-NBA physique, and maturity uncommon in players his age, it wasn’t long before James began dominating the NBA, making the finals in 2007 before winning back-to-back crowns in 2012 and 2013 as a member of the Miami Heat.

Then came Curry, a skinny 6-foot-3 kid who was born in the same Akron hospital as LeBron but grew up in North Carolina and had to scrap for every accolade he'd earned. Curry and the Warriors eventually broke through in 2015, winning a championship at Bron-Bron’s expense. Thus began the rivalry that defined this generation.

Despite their fierce competition and occasional heated moments, Curry, the former Davidson superstar, always emphasized the spirit of healthy competition. His respect for the four-time champ, LeBron, was always evident, highlighting the sportsmanship that underpinned their rivalry.

“It was like a healthy resentment of somebody that’s standing in your way,” Curry said for The Athletic. “But through it all, like there’s obviously the utmost respect for who he is as a person and a player and like how good he is and the challenge of trying to beat him and trying to solve that problem every year.”

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Foes turned teammates

While Curry and James have been rivals on the court, they have also been teammates, notably in the All-Star Game. Now, they find themselves on the same side once again, this time fighting for something much more than All-Star bragging rights: an Olympic gold medal.

As they tread on this path that began in Las Vegas and has now brought them to Abu Dhabi for a few tune-up games before they head to Paris for the real deal, LeBron said their time together has allowed him to forge more meaningful relationships with his Team USA mates, including Steph.

“The game of basketball don’t last forever. You don’t want to waste the opportunity to be able to have a relationship with someone,” the 20-time All-Star asserted.

Being as media savvy as he is, The Chosen One understands how the media wants to mold narratives around him and Steph, but the two have maintained a strong friendship and mutual respect throughout the years.

“A lot of y’all maybe grew up in the Bird-Magic era and we shouldn’t like each other, but I’m also (aware) enough to know that Isiah (Thomas) and Magic hugged and kissed each other on the floor too because it was just mutual respect,” LeBron stated.

“They say Michael never talked to any of his opponents, but I’m also smart enough to know that him and Charles (Barkley) had a lot of conversations during the ’93 finals and also played golf against each other. So I don’t want to lose those moments (with Curry),” the 39-year-old added.

LeBron, now 39, and Curry, who’s already 36, may not have long in the NBA. So it’s only natural that they’d want to make the most of their remaining time. As they gear up for the Olympics and, later on, another season in the NBA, it's clear that their rivalry on the court has never stopped them from having a robust friendship off the court, one built on mutual respect and admiration.

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