LeBron James and Stephen Curry were, with the permission of the giant Victor Wembanyama, the two great stars of the basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics.
The two put aside their differences, with a multitude of frictions and rudeness every time they faced each other with their NBA teams, and teamed up to lead the U.S. Dream Team to its fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Watching them together was a pleasure for the eyes, for the senses, for the aesthetics of basketball and a joy for all basketball fans. So much so that many wonder if they will be able to see them play together again for the same team.
Well, the answer is unfortunately no. According to an anonymous NBA executive, they will never be teammates again, neither in the Olympic Games nor in any other official competition.
“Did the TV analyst really say anything about LeBron and Steph someday teaming up? That will never happen,” an NBA executive told Sam Amico, reputable basketball analyst for FOX Sports, CBS Sports, Amico Hoops and the Boston Herald.
“In fact, they’ll never be on the same team again. A great Olympic run, no doubt. But those two being teammates is over for eternity,” said that anonymous NBA source.
LeBron ending his career with his son Bronny
James, 39, averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54.0 percent shooting from the field in his 21st NBA season.
After signing a two-year contract with the Lakers this summer, the first for 48.7 million and the second (player option) for 52.6 million, his only plan is to end his career with his son Bronny at the Los Angeles team.
And Curry, considered by many to be the best shooter in NBA history, and at 36 years old still has two more on his contract with the Warriors at 55.7 and 59.6 million per season. And his team is committed to him spending the rest of his career with them until he retires.
Joining forces again is no longer an option
As great as LeBron James and Steph Curry played together this summer (the Lakers star was voted Olympic tournament MVP), it’s very likely that this was the last time we’ll see them together.
At 39 and 36, respectively, James and Curry are coming to the end of their careers, and joining forces again is no longer an option as it once was.
Steph has already said that this was his first (and last) Olympic participation, and we already know that LeBron James will be completely retired from the sport in 2028. In the future, James and Curry will once again be adversaries and, while healthy and active, they will only measure up in games between the Lakers and Warriors.
The impoverished All-Star, the last bastion of unity
The only consolation left for those who have enjoyed seeing them together to fight for a title will be, at best, to see them again on the West team in the NBA All Star.
LeBron has already played 20 and was a starter last edition, in which this format was recovered, and shared locker room with the substitute Curry. But of course, it is not the same, that circus without defenses or game or competitiveness has nothing to do with the demands of the Olympics or the NBA itself. So the nostalgic ones who want to see them together again in a team will have to watch the video.