Playing together on Team USA Basketball for the Paris Olympics increased Stephen Curry’s respect for NBA rival LeBron James.

 NBA seasons, no rival has been more significant than Stephen Curry. Both Akron-born superstars have dominated the league for over a decade. Amid their fierce competition, they found common ground when they had the chance to play together on Team USA Basketball team at the Paris Olympics.

Stephen Curry sat down with People magazine to talk about his experiences in the NBA and the Paris Olympics. When asked specifically about playing alongside the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, he gave a candid answer to Natasha Dye.

All the battles we’ve had on the court and the back and forth, the fact that we actually got to be teammates, not just in any game like an All-Star game or whatever, but in high stakes basketball with a lot on the line…I think there’s a deepened respect and friendship there.

Stephen Curry said

Curry was already curious before the practices started about how LeBron James goes about his way in terms of preparation and understanding of the game. Once he started to practice alongside the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, he understood what has made his rival great for more than two decades.

Even his Golden State Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr was astonished at how James is at practice. Curry also understood in each game why his longtime compatriot is as good as people say he is. First as opponents and now as teammates have helped build that respect, but it is anything but over.

Stephen Curry and LeBron James to resume rivalry for at least another year

Stephen Curry knows all too well that neither he nor LeBron James are done with their careers. He expects the rivalry to produce big moments in basketball history as he continued to tell Dye.

Hopefully, there will be more experiences in the future, even if we’re teammates or not. We still have to compete against each other until it’s all over.

Stephen Curry added

With Curry’s new extension with the Golden State Warrriors, he will likely stay for another three seasons. James’ situation is a year-on-year development, but despite that, Curry wants to play against each other for some time. He knows that as long as the two are in the Western Conference, they should be All-Star teammates. But when they go up against each other, the best comes out.

NBA fans would also like the two to continue playing for long. The two have defined the league for so long that the very thought of them retiring will be a nightmare for fans. As for this season, the two will resume their battles in December.