Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry have been rivals on the basketball court for years, but during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, they teamed up for Team USA and produced dazzling results.
Now, James’ Lakers teammate Christian Wood has expressed his belief that the two superstars should team up on the NBA hardwood.
Watching James and Curry join forces with other superstars like Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Anthony Edwards was a basketball fan’s dream. Team USA went undefeated in the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t face serious challengers.
Their semifinal game against Serbia required a double-digit comeback from Team USA. A significant portion of the necessary late-game heroics was provided by either James or Curry.
In the championship game, Team USA faced off against France, the host nation for the Paris games. Again, Team USA was seriously challenged, and again, Curry and James rose to the occasion.
James finished with an impressive double-double of 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Meanwhile, Curry provided the firepower that Team USA needed to close out the game.
In the waning minutes of the contest, Team USA saw its lead shrink further and further. With just under three minutes left in the game, France had pulled within three points. Then, Curry decided enough was enough.
In the last 2:48 of the game, Curry hit four 3-pointers, with each score seeming more impressive and acrobatic than the last. It was a perfect example of his scoring brilliance. His teammates and fans in the crowd simply watched with awe as Curry took over the game and put the competition to bed.
It might seem hard to believe, but Curry earned his first career gold medal on Saturday. He reflected on that accomplishment following the game.
“For me to get a gold medal is insane, and I thank God for the opportunity to experience it,” Curry said.
Now that Team USA’s journey is over, Curry and James will return to their respective teams and become competitors again. However, if the current era of basketball has taught fans anything, it’s that superstars have power. Perhaps they, like Wood, have had ideas about teaming up as their NBA careers inch closer to their final acts. Perhaps they could make it happen.
It seems like a long shot, and time is running short, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.