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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
LeBron James and Stephen Curry's first partnership on the international stage began with a phone call in the fall.
Curry recalls that at the time, the two longtime NBA rivals discussed the possibility of teaming up at the 2024 Paris Olympics, combining forces as arguably the greatest conglomeration of talent in basketball history.
“He was the first person I told,” Curry said Sunday afternoon about his conversation with James. “He asked me, 'Is this something I want to do?' And from there it was like, 'Let's give it a go.'”
Curry, James and future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant have accomplished a lot in their careers, but they have yet to play together on the U.S. national team. Curry played with Durant in gold medal games at the 2010 and 2014 World Championships, while James and Durant won gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics.
But while these three superstars, now in their late 30s, will take to the court together on an international stage for the first time this summer, it would be a mistake to call this their “final big performance.”
“No,” Durant told ESPN with a smile when asked how he felt about being paired with James and Curry on this team. “They're still playing at an elite level. I think Bron can play four or five more games and be here in 2028.” [the Los Angeles Olympics]Steph continues to play great, and I'm doing well too.
“We don't want this to be a farewell tour or just the three of us. Our aim is to try and get five wins in a row.”
The U.S. team, which faces Canada in an Olympic warm-up game on Wednesday in Las Vegas (10:30 p.m. ET), is the favorite to win a fifth consecutive gold medal, thanks to the NBA's three biggest American stars. Durant could become the first player to win four Olympic basketball gold medals as part of the last three Olympic championship teams. James, approaching his 40th birthday, could add a third gold medal to his already impressive international record.
And after 15 seasons in the NBA, Curry is preparing for his Olympic debut.
“Yeah, it's pretty awesome,” Curry said. “I've played with Team USA on the World Championship stage, but I don't know what to expect as far as this challenge and this experience. So I was nervous in the first practice and I know I'll be nervous in the game.” [Wednesday] Because I know it means a lot.
“When you add in the realism of who's on this team and all the battles I've had in my career and the fact that we can put our energy together as teammates, I'm enjoying every minute of it.”
There was a sense of awe throughout the first few days of Team USA training camp. There has been plenty of talent on past Olympic rosters, but there's a reason this group has been compared (sometimes favorably) to the legendary 1992 Dream Team.
“Do you see this team?” center Bam Adebayo, who won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is playing in his second Olympic Games, said Sunday. [together] When you compare a team like this to the Dream Team, you see how good this team can be if they play the right way.”
“We've got LeBron, KD and Steph,” said Anthony Edwards, playing for the U.S. for the first time, “so I don't think there's anybody on the court that can beat those three on their own.”
“So, if you mix in two of us normal guys, we'll be fine.”
It was impressive to finally see Curry and James on the court for Team USA after four consecutive NBA Finals meetings from 2015-2018 and historic playoff battles in which James' Los Angeles Lakers defeated Curry and the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals.
“It's kind of a healthy resentment towards anybody that gets in your way,” Curry said of facing James in the playoffs, “but throughout that time, obviously I had the utmost respect for how great he was as a person and as a player and the challenge of beating him every year and solving that problem.”
James added: “I know how much he loves to win and how much he loves to compete. We've always had the time together for short periods of time, like the All-Star Game, and it's just been so natural and easy.”
Curry, James and Durant have spent the better part of the last two decades competing against one another for NBA supremacy, but over the next six weeks they'll play side by side, embracing the Olympic Games as a first and likely only opportunity for all three to compete on the international stage.
“I can't speak for those two guys, but for me, it's going to be a crazy, humbling surprise factor,” James told ESPN. “The last 15, 17, 18 years, me, Steph and KD have been the talk of the NBA…
“I don't know how many more games I'm going to get the chance to play, so to have this moment at this point in my career is really special.”
