USA Dream Team’s Olympic Roadmap Unaffected by Rivalries
The USA Dream Team is progressing smoothly on its Olympic roadmap, with no surprises aside from the injury-enforced withdrawal of Kawhi Leonard. The team’s three victories against Canada, Australia, and Serbia confirm that, despite some logical ups and downs, they are facing an almost invincible team.
Good Atmosphere Despite Competitive Friction
As important as the results are, the good atmosphere that reigns in the team is noteworthy. With 12 world-renowned roosters, including NBA superstars, some with quarrels arising from their extreme competitive friction, this is a significant achievement. The case in point is LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two of the best players in the world and starters on this team, who had a tough time in their clashes.
Bad Vibes Since the Four NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018
The alleged bad vibes between them date back to the four NBA Finals they faced each other from 2015 to 2018, with Curry’s Warriors winning three of those matchups. Although James took the Cavaliers to a historic comeback after overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 Finals, securing Cleveland’s first championship, there was great tension between them then. However, they have now buried the hatchet and forgotten their differences to lead the Stars and Stripes team to gold.
LeBron and Curry Downplay Past Frictions
In an interview with The Athletic, the two superstars downplayed those past frictions. "It was like a healthy resentment towards someone who stood in your way," Curry said. "But despite everything, there is maximum respect for who Bron is as a person and as a player." LeBron added, "Basketball doesn’t last forever. You don’t want to waste the opportunity to have a relationship with someone. Obviously, we must respect Steph to the maximum as a person and as a player."
Like Other Historic Star Rivalries
James tried to separate the rivalry on the court from the personal relationship, pointing out that many people grew up in the era of Bird-Magic, but he is also aware that Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson hugged and kissed on the floor. "They say Michael (Jordan) never spoke to any of his opponents, but I’m also smart enough to know that he and Charles (Barkley) had more than words during the 1993 Finals and then they also played golf," he said.
Maturity and Respect
James agreed with Curry in pointing out that the perception of a deep rivalry between them was largely a media creation. He emphasized that the idea of "Hating one another" was a false narrative and expressed the importance of building relationships beyond basketball. Maturity has undoubtedly helped LeBron (39 years old) and Curry (36) redirect that alleged bad relationship between the two.
A Positive Relationship
Even another of America’s big stars, Kevin Durant, assured that from within it is appreciated that the relationship between the two is good and has become normalized. "I think they’ve become better friends now than when they went through that experience, competing with each other and being rivals. You can see how much they respect each other," he said.
