Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is relishing his opportunity to line up alongside the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry on Team USA for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“It’s pretty amazing that we’re at this point of our careers and we’re able to showcase our talent and do what we love to do and give a little bit back to the fans,” James told reporters after the United States beat Canada 86-72 in an exhibition Wednesday night. “So it’s an absolute treat to play with one of the greatest to ever play this game, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer.”
James and Curry each played 19 minutes as head coach Steve Kerr made sure to utilize the full extent of the depth he has within the squad. Both players filled out the stat sheet. LeBron finished with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block, while Steph put up 12 points, two rebounds and three assists.
It’s surprising it has taken this long for James and Curry to cross paths on the national team and that the Paris Games will in all likelihood be their only tournament together.
Curry wasn’t really on the radar ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics, while injuries prevented him from suiting up four years later in Rio de Janeiro when he was coming off a second straight MVP. He turned down the opportunity to compete in Tokyo in 2021 due to all of the knock-on effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 10-time All-Star wasn’t going to his last chance to team up with James pass by, though.
“He was the first person I talked to,” Curry said to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “‘Would this be something I would want to do?’ And from there it was like, ‘Let’s get it.'”
The United States winning a gold medal in the Olympics has been considered a given so much that it can be tough to truly appreciate what’s happening on the floor. The rise of NBA superteams has also ruined some of the novelty behind Team USA.
In the case of James and Curry, though, nobody is losing sight of what the 2024 Summer Olympics represents within the wider context of their careers.
