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Home > NBA News & Analysis > LeBron James And Stephen Curry’s Best Teammates Throughout Their Careers (Only All-Stars)

LeBron James And Stephen Curry’s Best Teammates Throughout Their Careers (Only All-Stars)

LeBron James and Stephen Curry have had a lot of All-Star teammates throughout their careers.

Nick Mac
Oct 30, 2022
55 Min Read
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Credit: Fadeaway World

LeBron James and Stephen Curry are far and away the greatest players of this generation. Since 2003, LeBron James has had the highest of expectations placed on him by fans, media, and just about everyone involved in basketball. He has met and exceeded those expectations enormously while claiming 4 championships and a host of NBA records. Since 2012, Stephen Curry has emerged and established himself as the greatest shooter and one of the greatest point guards of all time. He also owns a host of individual accolades, records, and 4 NBA championships. These 2 players are forever linked together for their battles against each other on the court in the NBA Finals and for the way that NBA fans have made it so.

Contents
  • LeBron James’ Best Teammates (Only All-Stars)
  • Shaquille O’Neal – 15 All-Star Appearances
  • Dwyane Wade – 13 All-Star Appearances
  • Chris Bosh – 11 All-Star Appearances
  • Ray Allen – 10 All-Star Appearances
  • Carmelo Anthony – 10 All-Star Appearances
  • Russell Westbrook – 9 All-Star Appearances
  • Dwight Howard – 8 All-Star Appearances
  • Anthony Davis – 8 All-Star Appearances
  • Kyrie Irving – 7 All-Star Appearances
  • Kevin Love – 5 All-Star Appearances
  • Ben Wallace – 4 All-Star Appearances
  • Shawn Marion – 4 All-Star Appearances
  • Rajon Rondo – 4 All-Star Appearances
  • Deron Williams – 3 All-Star Appearances
  • Marc Gasol – 3 All-Star Appearances
  • Derrick Rose – 3 All-Star Appearances
  • Jerry Stackhouse – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Zydrunas Ilgauskas – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Antawn Jamison – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Rashard Lewis – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Isaiah Thomas – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Andre Drummond – 2 All-Star Appearances
  • Juwan Howard – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Wally Szczerbiak – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Kyle Korver – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Tyson Chandler – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Mo Williams – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Stephen Curry’s Best Teammates (Only All-Stars)
  • Kevin Durant – 12 All-Star Appearances
  • Klay Thompson – 5 All-Star Appearances
  • Draymond Green – 4 All-Star Appearances
  • Andre Iguodala – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Andrew Wiggins – 1 All-Star Appearance
  • Who Has Had The Better Teammates Throughout Their Career: LeBron James Or Stephen Curry?
    • Next
    • LeBron James vs. Tim Duncan Career Comparison: 5 Championships Beats 4, But King James Has The Better Career And More Individual Accolades
    • Stephen Curry vs. Kevin Durant Career Comparison: 4 NBA Championships Are Better Than 2
    • The Greatest Point Guard From Every NBA Team
    • The Greatest Small Forward From Every NBA Team
    • NBA MVP Award Winners From 2011 To 2020: LeBron James, Stephen Curry And Giannis Antetokounmpo Dominated In This Era

The battles between Stephen Curry and LeBron James on the NBA’s biggest stage are tales we will be telling to our great-grandchildren. For 4 straight years from 2015 through 2018, we saw Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors take on LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Curry and company tallied a 3-1 record in the Finals against James and the Cavs with each winning another championship after the Warriors-Cavs years. When we compare their careers, it is obvious that LeBron has been better for a longer period of time. Things may not be as simple as that, though.

No two other players have accomplished as much as LeBron James and Stephen Curry have over the last decade. Curry has broken the NBA’s 3-point record, won 4 titles, a Finals MVP, 2 MVP awards including the first and only unanimous one, and established himself as a top 2 player at the point guard position. LeBron has won 4 MVP awards, 4 titles, 4 Finals MVP awards, and is set to break the NBA’s all-time scoring record in 2022-23. More goes into winning championships than the 2 best players on each team. Today, we will take a look at the long history of All-Star teammates that LeBron and Curry have each had and how it impacted their legacies.

These are the best All-Star teammates that LeBron James and Stephen Curry have played with in their entire careers.


LeBron James’ Best Teammates (Only All-Stars)


Shaquille O’Neal – 15 All-Star Appearances

Shaquille O'Neal

Teammates With LeBron James: 2010

In his prime, Shaquille O’Neal was the most dominant big man, perhaps in the history of the game. Shaq dominated his opponents in the paint like few had done before him or have done since. With the Magic and Lakers early in his career, Shaq was among the best players in the NBA, a 3-time NBA champion, and MVP, and a 3-time Finals MVP. He won one more as a second option with the Miami Heat in 2006 alongside Dwyane Wade. The version of Shaquille O’Neal that ended up being next to LeBron in Cleveland is a different story.

It was Shaq’s second-to-last season in the NBA in 2010 and he was quite clearly chasing the 5th ring to pull himself ahead of his former teammate and now bitter rival, Kobe Bryant. By this time, Father Time had caught up with the big fellas. O’Neal was reduced to just 53 games played for the Cavs and just 23.4 minutes per game. Shaq was far from the MVP and champion we once knew, as he averaged just 12.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG. Shaq’s attempts at a 5th ring fell short as Bryant would be the one to win his 5th in 2010.


Dwyane Wade – 13 All-Star Appearances

Dwyane Wade

Teammates With LeBron James: 2011-2014, 2018

Dwyane Wade is certainly the most accomplished and highest-ranked teammate of LeBron James. Before LeBron, Wade was already a superstar in the league who had led a Heat team to the 2006 NBA championship in just his 3rd season. LeBron and Wade decided to team up in Miami during the 2010 offseason while bringing another free agent into the mix, Chris Bosh. The 3 got together in South Beach and “The Heatles” were born. In their first season together, Wade was still a 25.0 PPG scorer, and the Heat cruised to an NBA Finals appearance.

Wade and LeBron would appear in 4 straight Finals together from 2011 through 2014, both winning and losing twice. The 2 were sensational together on the floor and LeBron was in his peak form on both sides of the court. James would win back-to-back MVP awards in 2012 and 2013 while winning the first 2 championships in his career. Wade was still a top player at his position and a perennial All-Star while battling injuries. What the 2 accomplished as the 1-2 punch in Miami is historic and will go down as a Top 10 duo in NBA history.


Chris Bosh – 11 All-Star Appearances

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Teammates With LeBron James: 2011-2014

Before becoming taking the sacrifice to be the 3rd option on a championship-winning team in Miami, Chris Bosh was an All-NBA Player in Toronto with the Raptors. Bosh spent 7 seasons in Toronto with the Raptors and averaged 20.2 PPG and 9.4 RPG during his time there. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2007 and had earned 5 All-Star appearances in a row leading up to his free agency decision in the 2010 offseason.

Bosh took a backseat to Wade and James in Miami and completely transformed his game to fit better alongside them. Bosh became more willing and able to stretch the floor as a shooter while maintaining the skills of a big man. Bosh thrived in this role and was named an All-Star all 4 seasons that the 3 played together. During this time, Bosh averaged 17.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. He was the perfect complimentary piece to James and Wade, helping them to 4 straight Finals appearances and 2 NBA championships.


Ray Allen – 10 All-Star Appearances

Ray Allen

Teammates With LeBron James: 2013-2014

At the time of his retirement, Ray Allen was the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader and one of the better shooting guards in the game’s history. With Milwaukee as a young man, Allen possessed all of the things that make a shooting guard great in the NBA. This continued in Seattle, where Allen showed off his athleticism and skill, and on to Boston, where his shooting helped win them an NBA championship in 2008. At his peak, Allen averaged 26.4 PPG and was an All-NBA player. By the time he got to Miami with LeBron, he was far from it.

Now Ray Allen certainly did have a career-defining moment with the Miami Heat. With one of the most memorable shots in NBA history, Allen tied Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against the Spurs with just seconds left. The Heat went on to win that game and the series with many crediting Allen for the save. Other than that one shot, Allen was mediocre at best, averaging 9.5 PPG in his 2 seasons for the Heat off of the bench. How much credit should be given to Allen for his time in Miami is up for interpretation.


Carmelo Anthony – 10 All-Star Appearances

Carmelo Anthony

Teammates With LeBron James: 2022

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were destined to be linked to each other for the entirety of their NBA career. LeBron and Anthony were members of the same draft class in 2003 and engaged in an all-time great battle for Rookie of the Year in their first season. As James began to win more and Anthony continued to fall short, the comparisons faded away and Carmelo was labeled as a great scorer who couldn’t deliver when it mattered most. In his prime, Anthony was one of the best three-level scorers in basketball, but that was far from the case when he and James finally became teammates.

With a phone call of persuasion from James, Carmelo signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year deal for the 2021-22 season. The hype was incredible, and this may finally be the year that Anthony would become a champion. The entire plan imploded when LeBron James and Anthony Davis battled lingering injuries while new acquisition Russell Westbrook struggled mightily to fit in the Lakers system. Anthony appeared in a bench role and averaged 13.3 PPG. The Lakers missed the playoffs entirely, and the roster was restructured in order to shake things up. Anthony remains unsigned while LeBron and the Lakers are off to an 0-4 start to the 2022-23 season.


Russell Westbrook – 9 All-Star Appearances

Russell Westbrook

Teammates With LeBron James: 2022-2023

The narrative surrounding Russell Westbrook over the past 2 seasons has been brutal to watch unfold. While he has played poorly and struggled to adjust to the style of play with LeBron and Anthony Davis, Westbrook has become the scapegoat for all of their problems. It has been completely unfair considering there has been so much wrong with the team than simply just Westbrook’s poor play. Just one season before joining the Lakers, he was leading the Wizards to the playoffs while once again averaging a triple-double for the season.

So what has gone wrong with Westbrook since joining the Lakers? For one, he is no longer a No. 1 option, nor has he remembered how to shoot the ball. He has become more prone to turnovers and has struggled to score efficiently. The play from the supporting cast of the team hasn’t been great either. They are prone to simple mistakes and have a ridiculously low shooting percentage. Rumors of his departure from L.A. continue to swirl. I don’t know how much longer he can take being the media’s punching bag, either.


Dwight Howard – 8 All-Star Appearances

Dwight Howard

Teammates With LeBron James: 2020, 2022

Dwight Howard is best remembered for his days as a Top 3 player in basketball with the Orlando Magic. Howard was a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most polarizing personalities in the entire league at the time. His star power and incredible play on the floor made him a top draw in the late 2000s. After Orlando, his career seemed to spiral a bit as he struggled to return to the All-NBA and near-MVP level that he once was at. He had put teams on his back to lead them to the NBA Finals and just a few seasons later was struggling to find a home.

In 2020, Howard signed with the Lakers on a 1-year deal. By this time, Howard was best used off of the bench as a role player and adjusted accordingly. Howard averaged 7.5 PPG for the Lakers off of the bench to go with a valuable 7.3 RPG. Howard played his role with James all the way to an NBA championship when play resumed in the bubble at Disney World in Orlando. Clearly, Howard wasn’t one of the best two-way players in basketball that he had been 10 years prior, but he did play a small part in the Lakers’ 17th title in franchise history.


Anthony Davis – 8 All-Star Appearances

Anthony Davis

Teammates with LeBron James: 2020-2023

Anthony Davis and LeBron James are headed into their 3rd season as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers and to say the trade for Davis has been a failure would be foolish. Davis came over to the Lakers after years of being one of the top players in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans. Davis had made 6 consecutive All-Star appearances leading up to the trade with the Lakers and the move clearly made them instant contenders for an NBA championship.

That is exactly what would happen when Davis and James took the court during the 2020 season. Davis would average 26.1 PPG and 9.3 RPG while leading them to the NBA playoffs. The playoffs would be held in the bubble in Disney World, but the Lakers would emerge victorious with Davis showing why the Lakers had given up so much to get him. It could be argued that Davis was the best player on the court at times, even though it was LeBron who would take home Finals MVP. As of late, Davis has struggled horribly with injuries while James is approaching his twilight years. Regardless, the trade for Davis certainly earned James his 4th title and the Lakers their 17th.


Kyrie Irving – 7 All-Star Appearances

Kyrie Irving

Teammates With LeBron James: 2015-2017

Kyrie Irving possesses one of the greatest skill sets that we have ever seen. He is an incredible ball-handler and subsequently very good at creating his own shot. He is an efficient shooter from every spot on the court and can take over games when he is motivated to do so. Leading up to James coming back to the Cavs after 4 years in Miami, Irving was beginning to establish himself as one of the best young talents in basketball. He was a back-to-back All-Star averaging 20.7 PPG and 5.8 APG. When James came back, it instantly made the Cavs a contender and Irving/James one of the best duos in the league.

The move paid off as the Cavaliers went to 3 straight NBA Finals with Irving and James on the team, with Irving making 2 more All-Star appearances. Irving and James would deliver on their championship promise to Cleveland in 2016 when they led the biggest comeback in NBA history over the 73-win Warriors in the NBA Finals. Irving averaged 25.2 PPG and 4.7 APG on that playoff run. While James gets a lot of the credit for that championship, Kyrie deserves more as well, even if he has yet to win anything since leaving James in 2018.


Kevin Love – 5 All-Star Appearances

Kevin Love

Teammates With LeBron James: 2015-2018

Before Kevin Love was playing alongside LeBron in Cleveland, he was an All-Star and rebounding champ with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Love was a beast in Minnesota who, at his peak with them, was averaging 26.0 PPG and 13.3 RPG. He was an incredible offensive player who could shoot and score at will in the paint. He was also one of the NBA’s best rebounders, winning a rebounding title in 2011 and averaging 12.2 RPG during his time in Minnesota. His Timberwolves teams were so bad that Love wanted out, appearing in 0 playoff games while a member of the Timberwolves.

The Cavaliers then made a bold move at the behest of James and Cavs’ fans everywhere. The team traded their No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and a host of other players/incentives to acquire Love. In their 4 seasons together in Cleveland, Love and James went to 4 straight NBA Finals and won one in 2016. Love averaged 17.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG in his time alongside LeBron as the 3rd option for those Cavs teams. It is safe to say that prime Kevin Love was the one who was present in Cleveland.


Ben Wallace – 4 All-Star Appearances

Ben Wallace

Teammates With LeBron James: 2008-2009

Ben Wallace is one of the best interior defenders in NBA history. He got this title from his days with the Detroit Pistons in the 2000s. Wallace helped Detroit win an NBA championship in 2004 and earned himself 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards in the process. He was never a strong offensive force, but his rebounding and shot-blocking completely made up for it. From Detroit, Wallace went to Chicago, where he was still a formidable shot-blocker and rebounder.

By the time Wallace ended up with the Cavaliers and teammates with LeBron, he was 34 years old and in the later stages of his career. He played just 78 games total with the Cavs and averaged 3.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. He was a member of 2 playoff teams in Cleveland but never again tasted championship glory after Detroit. While well past his prime, Wallace still provided a steady defensive presence alongside James, but he was nowhere near the level he was at with the Pistons from 2001 through 2006.


Shawn Marion – 4 All-Star Appearances

Shawn Marion

Teammates With LeBron James: 2015

Shawn Marion is certainly underrated in NBA circles today considering how good of a player he was at his peak. For the Suns and Mavericks, Marion was a versatile deafening forward who could legitimately defend the 1-4 positions on the court for long stretches. He could even take on opposing centers for small amounts of time as well. He was a great scorer too, who ran opponents off of the floor in transition.

When Marion got to the Cavaliers in 2015, it was pretty much a last-ditch attempt at a 2nd NBA championship. Marion was 36 years old and was starting to give way to injuries on a consistent basis. Marion appeared in just 57 games for the Cavs in 2015 with 33 of them coming from the bench. He averaged 4.8 PPG and 3.5 RPG for the team, with very little impact on the floor, which was an unusual way for him to play. The Cavs went to the NBA Finals but fell to the Golden State Warriors. Marion retired following the season as a 4x-All-Star and 2x All-NBA Team selection.


Rajon Rondo – 4 All-Star Appearances

Rajon Rondo

Teammates With LeBron James: 2019-2020, 2022

Rajon Rondo is one of the great playmakers of the last 20 years. During the 2000s with the Celtics, Rondo can be credited with helping them to an NBA championship and multiple NBA Finals appearances. Rondo was a high-IQ player who constantly found his teammates easy opportunities on offense and consistently made them better. At his peak, he was leading the league with 11.0 APG or more, as well as being a 10.0 PPG scorer or better.

This is not the version of Rajon Rondo that appeared alongside LeBron James with the Lakers during 2019, 2020, and 2022 seasons, however. No, the Rondo that arrived in Los Angeles was injury-prone and aging rapidly. While he was still good to deliver 8.0 or 9.0 APG, he failed to appear in more than 50 games for them in a season. In the 2020 playoffs, Rondo appeared in 16 games for the Lakers and averaged 8.9 PPG and 6.6 APG, which helped them win an NBA championship. In 2022, Rondo appeared in just 18 games for the Lakers before being shipped to the Cavaliers.


Deron Williams – 3 All-Star Appearances

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Teammates With LeBron James: 2017

During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Deron Williams was making a case to be the best point guard in the NBA. With the Utah Jazz, Williams thrived and became an All-NBA caliber player who averaged 20.0 PPG and over 10.0 APG. He was a crafty and shifty point guard who could score and facilitate among the best in basketball. After Utah, Williams tried his hand with the Nets and Mavericks. As time went on, his game began to decline and Williams decided to chase a championship.

Williams was traded from Dallas to the Cavaliers during the 2017 season. He appeared in 24 games for the Cavs in the regular season and averaged 7.5 PPG and 3.6 APG. During the playoffs, Williams appeared in all 18 games off of the bench for Cleveland before they were defeated in the NBA Finals by the Warriors. Williams averaged 4.3 PPG and 2.1 APG in the postseason and retired at the conclusion of it after 12 years of NBA service.


Marc Gasol – 3 All-Star Appearances

Marc Gasol

Teammates With LeBron James: 2021

For years, Marc Gasol has received criticism and unnecessary slander for his 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award. The reason for that is that many thought LeBron James deserved the award and was robbed by the voters. Why Gasol got the brunt of the attacks will always be a mystery to me. At his best with the Grizzlies, Gasol was still one of the best defenders in basketball and a reason why Memphis was such a contender during the 2010s.

After Memphis, Gasol was traded to the Raptors, where he played a valuable role in their 2019 NBA championship. He would sign with the Lakers for the 2021 season but was clearly nowhere near the level of player he once was. Gasol played in just 52 games for the Lakers that season and averaged just 5.0 PPG and 4.1 RPG. Gasol would retire after the season after 13 years in the NBA.


Derrick Rose – 3 All-Star Appearances

Derrick Rose

Teammates With LeBron James: 2018

Could you imagine if we were able to see Derrick Rose before the knee injuries team up with a prime LeBron James? The championships and legendary moments would be endless. Derrick Rose was an MVP and All-NBA player at his peak, leading the Bulls to multiple playoff appearances at an extremely young age. After tearing his ACL twice in 3 seasons, Rose had to fight, scratch, and claw his way back to an NBA roster, having lost a heap of athleticism along the way.

One of his stops was with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 season. Rose’s time in Cleveland and with LeBron is about as opposite of his prime as you can get. He appeared in just 16 games for the Cavs before being shipped off to Minnesota. In those 16 games, Rose averaged just 9.8 PPG and 1.6 APG. The Cavs would go on to appear in the NBA Finals while Rose is still searching for his spot on a team that can make a run for an NBA championship.


Jerry Stackhouse – 2 All-Star Appearances

Jerry Stackhouse

Teammates With LeBron James: 2011

Jerry Stackhouse was one of the most elite scorers in the NBA during his prime with the Pistons. He thrived on driving to the lane and finishing above the rim. Stackhouse also did a great job of drawing and finishing through contact to make his way to the foul line. He could carry teams at his peak with his scoring and could fill the distributor role when asked to. At his best, Stackhouse was a 29.8 PPG scorer and All-Star, but as the years went on, things deteriorated rapidly.

After his time with Detroit and Washington, Stackhouse was still a decent role player for the Mavericks from 2005 through 2009. The last 4 seasons of his career were dedicated to trying to win that elusive championship that he had missed out on for his NBA career. Stackhouse joined the Heat in 2011 but was limited to just 7 games played during the season. He averaged 1.7 PPG in those 7 games and retired from the game ringless in 2013.


Zydrunas Ilgauskas – 2 All-Star Appearances

Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Teammates With LeBron James: 2004-2011

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is one of the players who gets little to no credit for their contributions while teammates with LeBron James. For someone his size, Ilgauskas brought a unique set of skills to the basketball court. He possessed a consistently smooth jumper, which drew many great interior defenders out of the paint in order for James to attack. He added great rebounding skills and shot-altering skills that made him a two-way threat to be reckoned with.

Ilgauskas was an All-Star the season before LeBron was drafted by the Cavaliers and became one again in 2005 with James on the team. He was a consistent 16.0 PPG and 8.0 RPG threat in his prime and helped James and the Cavs reach the playoffs 5 times in his career. He did his best to give the same production in the playoffs as in the regular season but often played down to the competition. Ilgauskas would retire from the game after the 2011 season and after spending one season with James with the Miami Heat.


Antawn Jamison – 2 All-Star Appearances

Antawn Jamison

Teammates With LeBron James: 2010

Antawn Jamison was one of the top forwards in the NBA when he was at his best. He was one of the elite scorers in basketball with a combination of skills that made him so. He could knock down any shot he wanted to take within the arc and was a lethal option as both a scorer and passer in transition. Jamison could adapt his game to any role and any situation that was asked of him and thrived both as a starter and bench player.

Jamison was an All-Star with the Washington Wizards in 2005 and 2008. He was a consistent 20.0 PPG scorer in his prime and made his way to Cleveland during the 2010 season at the trade deadline. Jamison appeared in 25 games with the Cavs and averaged 15.8 PPG and 7.7 RPG in those contests. Jamison remained with Cleveland until after the 2012 season, but those 25 games were the only ones he would play with LeBron.


Rashard Lewis – 2 All-Star Appearances

Rashard Lewis

Teammates With LeBron James: 2013-2014

During the 2000s with the SuperSonics and Magic, Rashard Lewis was an electrifying small forward who could score at will. He is actually top 25 all-time in career 3-pointers made and was one of the pioneers of the stretch forward position. With his shooting mixed with some height and athleticism, Lewis became an All-Star and a consistent 20.0 PPG scorer. Lewis was a key player in the Orlando run to the Finals in 2009 as well as the contending teams thereafter.

When the 2012-13 season rolled around, Lewis was still looking for a spot where he could compete on a winning team with aspirations of an NBA championship. He joined the defending champion Miami Heat and the Big 3 of LeBron, Wade, and Chris Bosh. Lewis was already declining as a player and was relegated to a bench role with the Heat. He played in 59 games during the regular season and 11 in the playoffs for the Heat while they went on to win the NBA championship. Lewis would play one more season with them in 2014 before retiring for good.


Isaiah Thomas – 2 All-Star Appearances

Isaiah Thomas

Teammates With LeBron James: 2018, 2022

Isaiah Thomas has one of the most peculiar careers in recent NBA history. After beginning his career with the Sacramento Kings, Thomas found a home in 2015 with the Boston Celtics. He would have back-to-back All-Star appearances for the team in 2016 and 2017 and finished 5th in the 2017 MVP voting. He was then traded that offseason after recovering from a hip injury to the Boston Celtics in the deal that sent Kyrie Irving back to Boston. This would be the first time that Thomas and James would play together.

However, Thomas would play just 15 games with the Cavaliers before being traded to the Lakers. With the Cavs, Thomas averaged 14.7 PPG and 4.5 APG before the trade went down. The next time Thomas and James would become teammates would be on a 10-day contract for Thomas in 2022. Thomas would play just 4 games with the Lakers and averaged 9.3 PPG. It was clear that Thomas could never be the same NBA player after the injury to his hip and LeBron James once again received the watered-down version of a potential star.


Andre Drummond – 2 All-Star Appearances

Andre Drummond

Teammates With LeBron James: 2021

Andre Drummond is a 2-time All-Star and a 4-time rebounding champ with the Detroit Pistons. Drummond is a player who never really gets credit for how good he was early on in his career. Drummond was a player who can consistently get his team 16.0 PPG and 14.0 RPG. With a big frame, strength, and athleticism, Drummond was a bully in the paint early in his career and in many ways, remains that way today. With the Lakers and teammates with LeBron James, however, it was a different story.

Drummond was LeBron James’ teammate for a grand total of 21 games during the 2021 season and it largely went down as a disappointment. Drummond averaged 11.9 PPG and 10.2 RPG during the regular season and it had seemed like he was going to be a real help toward their goal of repeating as NBA champions. It did not end up that way as Drummond was hobbled and awful defensively as the Lakers got defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns.


Juwan Howard – 1 All-Star Appearance

Juwan Howard

Teammates With LeBron James: 2011-2013

Including Juwan Howard on this list feels quite out of place, but nevertheless, here we are. Juwan Howard was an All-Star 15 seasons before teaming up with LeBron James when James happened to be just 11 years old. Howard was with the Washington Bullets in his 2nd season as a highly-touted prospect from the Fab 5 Michigan Wolverines. In 1996, Howard averaged 22.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG to earn his only All-Star appearance.

After years and years of missing out on chances for an NBA title, Howard decided to join the Miami Heat for the 2011 season. Over the next 3 years, Howard appeared in only 93 games for the Heat but earned his championship ring in 2012. During these 3 seasons, Howard saw just 9.1 minutes of playing time and averaged 2.2 PPG. Clearly, LeBron didn’t get the All-Star version of Howard, but he did gift the veteran his only NBA title.


Wally Szczerbiak – 1 All-Star Appearance

Wally Szczerbiak

Teammates With LeBron James: 2008-2009

During the late 90s and early 2000s, Wally Szczerbiak was one of the better catch-and-shoot guards in the NBA. He was a dynamic offensive threat in his prime who earned his paycheck from the 3-point line. He could put the ball on the floor a little bit but was never exactly the gold standard for athleticism. Wally made his lone All-Star appearance in 2002 with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 18.7 PPG that season on 50.8% shooting and 45.5% from three.

Six seasons later, Szczerbiak would join LeBron James with the Cavaliers in Cleveland via trade from Seattle. Wally would be used strictly as one of LeBron’s shooters off of the bench. He would play 74 games off of the bench for the team in 2009 and averaged 7.0 PPG. He was a playoff starter in 2008 and came off of the bench in 2009 but made little impact on the floor. Once again, James got an All-Star far too late in his career.


Kyle Korver – 1 All-Star Appearance

Kyle Korver

Teammates With LeBron James: 2017-2018

For 20 years, Kyle Korver established himself as one of the game’s greatest 3-point shooters. Korver never averaged over 15.0 PPG in a season, but he didn’t need to. He was in the game for one reason and one reason only, to knock down every 3-point opportunity afforded to him. Korver made his only All-Star appearance in 2015 with the Atlanta Hawks. That season, he averaged 12.1 PPG and shot the ball at 49.2% from three, leading the NBA.

When he finally got to Cleveland in the 2016-17 season, Korver was well past the prime player that we saw for the previous 15 years. Korver would play with LeBron for the parts of 3 seasons, averaging just 9.3 PPG off of the bench. He was a key contributor on 2 different Finals runs but was usually worn down by the time the Finals came around. Korver may be one of the best shooters in NBA history, but with James, he was just another guy off of the bench.


Tyson Chandler – 1 All-Star Appearance

Tyson Chandler

Teammates With LeBron James: 2019

Yet another former All-Star that joined LeBron at the end of his career was Tyson Chandler. At his peak, Chandler was one of the best defenders in basketball and a Defensive Player of the Year award winner. He made his only All-Star game in 2013 with the New York Knicks. Chandler averaged 10.4 PPG, 10.7 RPG, and 1.1 BPG that season and was named a selection for the mid-season classic.

Seven seasons after his All-Star appearance, Chandler was traded from the Suns to the Lakers just a few games into the season. This was James’ first year with the Lakers and it was riddled with injury and failure. Chandler played in 48 games for L.A. that year and averaged just 3.1 PPG and 5.6 RPG off of the bench. He would play just 1 more season in the NBA before retiring after the 2020 season.


Mo Williams – 1 All-Star Appearance

Mo Williams

Teammates With LeBron James: 2009-2010, 2016

Mo Williams happens to be one of the “bums” that LeBron carried during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams was far from what many NBA fans will try to pass him off as and became an All-Star alongside James during the 2009 season. Williams was a talented perimeter shooter in his prime and averaged 17.8 PPG during that All-Star season. He was consistent and a solid distributor of the ball who made very few mistakes.

Williams was one of the teammates that LeBron thrived alongside. Much like James, Williams loved to drive to the lane and find cutting teammates or shooters on the outside. A lot of the time, Williams would be one of those shooters when James was driving and knocking down his threes at a 43.6% rate. Williams would play the 2010 seasons with James before he left for Miami and once again during the 2016 season for 41 games. Williams earned a championship ring for his appearances with the Cavs that season and that is how he would walk away from the game of basketball.


Stephen Curry’s Best Teammates (Only All-Stars)


Kevin Durant – 12 All-Star Appearances

Kevin Durant

Teammates With Stephen Curry: 2017-2019

Kevin Durant had already been one of the best players in basketball before he shocked the world and joined the Warriors during the 2016 offseason. He was already a 4-time scoring champion and an MVP who had led his team to the NBA Finals. As a matter of fact, the year before Durant Joined the Warriors, he and the Thunder held a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals over the team he eventually joined. His popularity and legacy may have taken a hit, but he didn’t care, and it paid off handsomely.

Durant made an immediate impact upon arriving in Golden State. In his first 2 seasons with the team, He led the Warriors to back-to-back Finals appearances with 2 victories and 2 Finals MVP awards. Durant and the Warriors could not be stopped and made a valid argument as the greatest team ever assembled. The team would get back to the Finals in 2019, but injuries to Durant and Klay Thompson derailed their hopes of a three-peat. Durant left following the 2019 season and is still waiting to win his first championship without Curry by his side.


Klay Thompson – 5 All-Star Appearances

Klay Thompson Blasts Report Which Indicated He Is Retiring In 2024

Teammates With Stephen Curry: 2012-2023

For the last 12 seasons, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry have evolved before our very eyes into the greatest shooting backcourt of all time. While Curry pulled ahead in accolades and records, Thompson’s legend was building as well earning them the moniker, “The Splash Bros.”. Thompson began to rack up the numbers and moments alongside Curry including in big-time moments as his alter ego, “Game 6 Klay”

After winning 3 titles together from 2015 through 2018, Thompson was dealt a major blow to his career. He suffered not one but two major lower-leg injuries, sidelining him for 2 whole seasons plus some of 2022. Thompson fought his way back, to make the Warriors serious contenders once again. The Warriors would go on to win the 2022 NBA championship in Klay’s first season back while he averaged 19.0 PPG along the way.


Draymond Green – 4 All-Star Appearances

Draymond Green

Teammates With Stephen Curry: 2013-2023

For the past 11 seasons, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry have shared the floor together through the highest highs and the lowest lows. Green has taken a unique approach to the game and mastered it. He became the Warriors’ most valuable playmaker and defender, able to guard every position on the court with maximum effectiveness. Green won himself a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2017, winning the steals title to go with it.

When Green is off of the court, the Warriors look lost on both sides of the ball. The defense doesn’t adjust so quickly and the offense doesn’t flow so smoothly. Green and Curry have been at war alongside one another for over a decade now, winning 4 NBA titles in the process. Things may look rocky as of late between Green and the franchise, but there is no doubt about what he has meant to them in the past and the present.


Andre Iguodala – 1 All-Star Appearance

Andre Iguodala

Teammates With Stephen Curry: 2014-2019, 2022-2023

Andre Iguodala is the only player on this list that Curry has played with when they were well past their All-Star form. Iguodala in his earlier years was an athletic specimen to watch, throwing down show-stopping dunks every other night. He was an All-Star for the 76ers in 2012, chosen mostly for his efforts on the defensive side of the ball. At his very best, Iguodala was a 19.0 PPG scorer but brought so much more than that to Golden State.

Iguodala joined the Warriors for the 2014 season and remained through 2019. He was on the floor when they won their first championship in 2015 and perhaps was the most important. For his defensive efforts on LeBron James during the 2015 Finals, Iguodala was awarded the Finals MVP trophy when Golden State emerged victorious. Many thought the award should have gone to Curry, but no one cared except the fans. As a member of 3 more championship teams, Iguodala played a much smaller role and was far less of a player than the All-Star he earned over a decade earlier.


Andrew Wiggins – 1 All-Star Appearance

Andrew Wiggins

Teammates With Stephen Curry: 2021-2023

After being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, Andrew Wiggins was traded immediately to the Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love. Wiggins struggled to live up to the No. 1 overall pick hype that came with the pick and many believed the Cavs were right in trading him away. Funny considering he was a 20.0 PPG scorer who could clearly be a No. 1 option on most NBA teams. The Timberwolves dealt Wiggins to the Warriors in the 2020 season and his impact would be felt just 2 short years later.

Headed into the 2022 season, Wiggins was unsure of what his future was going to be with the Warriors. He put all of that to the side and earned his first All-Star appearance in 8 seasons. His impact was even more magnified during the 2022 playoffs. He became the Warriors’ 2nd-most important player, often taking on the challenge of an opponent’s best player on defense. Wiggins’ play was a big reason for the Warriors taking home their 4th title in 8 years. The team rewarded him with a lucrative extension and the chance to deliver on more than one championship season.


Who Has Had The Better Teammates Throughout Their Career: LeBron James Or Stephen Curry?

What you have seen before you are what we in the basketball world like to call context. How many times when you hear a debate or narrative pushed about LeBron, about how many All-Stars he has played with? What you see above will prove that over 70% of those All-Stars were out of their prime and on their last legs. Now, when you break down, the other 30% is when the debate can begin. 

James has played with 27 All-Stars listed above and Curry has played with 6. Playing with 21 more All-Stars than a player you’re being compared to seems like a huge difference at first glance. When you add the context as we did above, you realize that when LeBron played with guys like Shaquille O’Neal, Deron Williams, Ray Allen, and so on, they were far past the players they were in their prime. When you compare the amount of All-Stars that Curry and LeBron have played within their primes, the number is almost the exact same.

James has had in their primes, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and a few other 1-time All-Stars. Curry has had the same system and the same teammates for almost his entire career. Regardless, it shouldn’t be the amount of All-Stars you play with. It should be about what each of these players has done with those All-Stars and how they impacted their play on the court and how they impacted winning.

James had Wade and Bosh in Miami and they made 4 straight NBA Finals appearances, they happened to have won 2 and lost 2 in those 4 appearances, which cause some fans to fly into a frenzy and try to pick apart James’ teammates’ games. Curry has had Durant, Green, Thompson, and Wiggins in their primes and has won 4 titles in 6 chances. What does that tell us? Not much. It just goes to show that with the right pieces around them, both players can and will succeed. What I do know is that we have all been fortunate enough to witness the entirety of both of these amazing players’ careers.

Many fans will bring up the debate between these two and there is no doubt that the conversation about All-Star teammates will come up. I say to show them this fine piece of work so they can take a much deeper dive into the context of that argument. Whichever way you slice it, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are tied together forever, so get used to it.

Next

LeBron James vs. Tim Duncan Career Comparison: 5 Championships Beats 4, But King James Has The Better Career And More Individual Accolades

Stephen Curry vs. Kevin Durant Career Comparison: 4 NBA Championships Are Better Than 2

The Greatest Point Guard From Every NBA Team

The Greatest Small Forward From Every NBA Team

NBA MVP Award Winners From 2011 To 2020: LeBron James, Stephen Curry And Giannis Antetokounmpo Dominated In This Era

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TAGGED:Draymond GreenKevin DurantKevin LoveKlay ThompsonKyrie IrvingLeBron JamesShaquille O'Neal
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ByNick Mac
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Nick Mac is a staff writer for Fadeaway World from Sag Harbor, NY. Specializing in in-depth articles that explore the history of the NBA, Nick is particularly knowledgeable about the 1990s to 2000s era. His interest in this period allows him to provide rich, detailed narratives that capture the essence of basketball's evolution. Nick's work has not only been featured in prominent outlets such as CBS Sports and NBA on ESPN but also in various other notable publications.In addition to his writing, Nick has produced sports radio shows for Fox Sports Radio 1280 and The Ryan Show FM, showcasing his versatility and ability to engage with sports media across different formats. He prides himself on conducting thorough interviews with significant figures within the basketball world before drafting substantial pieces. His interviews, including one with Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin, underscore his commitment to authenticity and accuracy in reporting. This meticulous approach ensures that his articles are not only informative but also resonate with a deep sense of credibility and insight. 
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