LeBron James made his season debut on Tuesday night, but one of the biggest takeaways came after the final buzzer. Rather than focus on his own return, James took a moment to reflect on his long-running relationship with Stephen Curry, a rivalry turned mutual admiration after four Finals series and more than two decades of sharing the NBA stage. For LeBron, their journey has evolved from fierce competition to a deep appreciation for someone who has pushed him to be great.
“When you are trying to rise to the top of the mountain, you have guys that are trying to stop me from getting there and vice versa,” James said, via Jovan Buha. “Steph has been one of those guys throughout our career. We have been trying to get to the mountaintop, and we are trying to knock each other off of it. That competition was brewing for a long time and every time we play against each other, it still brews.”
As James (four-time NBA champion) reflected on the rivalry, he shifted toward the respect that has developed between the two stars. With both players firmly in the later stages of their careers, the competitive fire remains, but so does a new level of appreciation. They understand the rarity of their shared journey and the magnitude of what they have accomplished side by side.
“When you get to a certain age and you get to a certain level and you understand that appreciating greatness and appreciating things that you will not be able to have for a long time after you are done, you can look back on those moments,” James said. “You do not want to waste an opportunity to build a relationship with somebody who you share some of the same goals in life. Our families. The way we go about our profession. The way we go about our everyday, trying to uplift people and inspire.”
James, 40, just began his record-breaking 23rd NBA season. After dropping 11 points, three rebounds, and 12 assists in his debut, he set the stage for another elite campaign that has put him in uncharted territory.
As one of the game’s all-time greatest stars, he will have to adjust to being a role player for the first time in his career. Playing behind Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic will take some getting used to, but he is embracing the challenges that come with getting older.
It is a similar story for Curry, who continues to play at an All-Star level with averages of 27.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on 46.4 percent shooting this season. At 37 years old, he is not far off from LeBron in terms of NBA longevity.
They have always recognized those qualities in each other, but their bond grew even stronger during their time together with Team USA at the Paris Olympic Games. Sharing the court in that setting reminded them how rare it is for two careers of this magnitude to run parallel for so long.
Now, with both players staring down the final chapters of their journeys, moments like these carry even more weight. It is a reminder that while the rivalry defined an era, the respect they share will define how that era is remembered.
