"So diametrically opposed….yet they meet 4 years in a row in the NBA Finals” - Jackie MacMullan believes LeBron James and Steph Curry have one of the coolest rivalries ever
Steph Curry and LeBron James are two of the best and most influential basketball players of the last decade. Their influence on and off the court has been commendable to say the least. They have formed a very complicated but amazing relationship over the years.
Game recognizes game as they share great admiration for each other's games and achievements. Many have wondered what could happen if both were signed to the same franchise, but the possibility of that happening only exists in the imagination. A glimpse of what could be attainable was seen in the All-Star Game on Feb. 20 in Cleveland.
Both played on the same team, with Curry and James posting 50 and 24 points, respectively. It was beautiful to watch them go, despite the looseness of the game.
Both players have gone against each other more often than not, however, clashing in four consecutive NBA Finals. Curry and the Golden State Warriors had the advantage over James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Warriors winning three championships.
With the #Sweet16 here, we got @StephenCurry30 leading No. 10 Davidson over No. 3 Wisconsin in 2008 on our minds!! This looks OH TOO FAMILIAR, DON’T IT?!!
Lebron James in the building!!
#WeAllHaveHeroes #MarchMadness
🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/nn8z2QBhy6
Former ESPN writer Jackie MacMullan spoke about the rivalry between the two players on "The Ringer NBA Show." She described it as "one of the coolest rivalries" she had ever seen.
"LeBron and Steph Curry, to me, have one of the coolest rivalries I've ever seen, because they are so diametrically opposed and yet they meet each four years in a row in the NBA Finals." MacMullan said.
"But long before that, when Curry is this little baby-faced shooter at Davidson, LeBron James is sitting courtside, coming to his games, talking to him after the game, giving him advice. I think LeBron does it a little differently, but I think he's pretty magnanimous when it comes to young talents."
A closer look at the formation of the Steph Curry-LeBron James rivalry riddled with admiration
Little baby-faced shooter Steph Curry, as described by Jackie MacMullan, starred for the Davidson Wildcats. During a March Madness game against the Wisconsin Badgers, LeBron James sat courtside watching Curry play. Therein lies the beginning of a friendship built on mutual respect.
They were both born in the same hospital in Akron, Ohio, three years and three months apart. When asked about his encounter with LBJ, Curry described it as "very cool."
“My sophomore year, LeBron came to the Sweet 16 game we had against Wisconsin, because he happened to be in Detroit at the same time," Curry said. "It's very cool for him to be here."
LeBron x Steph 🥲🙌 https://t.co/wl8zX7QElA
James, on the other hand, had nothing but praise for Curry as he watched. He talked about how fierce Curry was despite his height and body frame.
“I saw a kid who didn’t care how big someone was, how fast someone else was, how strong someone else was," James said. "He just went out and played. He wasn’t going to let anything, as far as the analytics when it comes to size, power, strength, speed, stop him from what he was able to do.
"It was great to see someone like that who doesn’t get caught up in people going after guys who can jump higher and run faster and run through a wall harder and things like that."