The NBA is on the precipice of a major generational shift. The careers of the three faces that dominated the last 20 years of basketball are in their twilight, as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are nearing retirement age. The trio is aware that they’re going to be passed up by the next generation of NBA stars, but want to encourage their successors instead of tearing them down.
In the ‘NBA OGs: Friends and Rivals’ interview featuring Curry, James, and Durant, the Golden State Warriors‘ point guard made it clear that all three of them will not be ‘oldhead haters’ of the next generation.
“This is not going to be around forever and you’ve got to enjoy every minute because soon we’re going to be – we’re not gonna be the bitter old heads, can we all agree on that? We’re not gonna be the bitter old heads coming back hating on the younger generation. We definitely have appreciation and admiration for what they’re able to do too.”
This is a sentiment that all three players have lived by over the last few years. You don’t hear either of them openly disparage players and are often complementary, especially to the next generation.
Examples of this can be seen in how LeBron has been complimenting players like Luka Doncic since 2019, Durant’s relationship with Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards, and Curry signing All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to his brand.
The Trio Have Secured Their Legacies
The legacies of all three players are secure and they’ll be remembered as some of the greatest to ever play the game. While there might be modern-era players like Nikola Jokic or even Victor Wembanyama who wind up challenging their positions on the all-time lists, it seems this trio will not look to tear them down as their careers play out.
Curry, LeBron, and Durant have been torn down publicly by stars of the previous generation plenty of times. Curry was widely despised for years for bringing about the shooting revolution, a sore spot for many legends to this day. Durant’s on-court style hasn’t been criticized much given how efficient he is but his off-court antics have always generated hate, especially from the previous generation of players.
LeBron receives hate for almost everything, with his on-court style being dismissed for years as pure athleticism and no skill. His off-court actions have never been liked, especially since his decision to join the Miami Heat in 2010. Durant joining the Warriors in 2017 brought all that hate back, primarily from former players who never had this freedom of movement in their eras.
The next generation of the NBA seems to be fantastic. You have stars in their prime like Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Doncic, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and more, while a young generation of beats like Wembanyama, Edwards, Paolo Banchero, and more are waiting in the wings to take the mantle from the legendary trio.
Stars will come and stars will go, but their impact lasts forever. If James, Curry, and Durant respect the impact of their successors, history will remember their contributions to the sport even more kindly.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
