By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After teaming up in the 2024 Olympic Games, LeBron James and Stephen Curry reverted to more familiar settings as opponents in the annual preseason game in Las Vegas.
The Golden State Warriors secured a win, 111-97, in T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday. Curry was held to 3/11 three-pointers in a 16-point effort alongside six assists and five rebounds. James had nine points behind 3/9 two-pointers.
Before the friendly game, Steve Kerr talked about coaching them as the Team USA boss during the offseason.
“It was a bromance,” he jokingly described the relationship between the NBA superstars, “There is so much respect. There has been for so long. But until you are playing on the same team, you do not really know what it is going to be like. It clicked from day one.”
Kerr, 59, went on to compare James with Curry.
“LeBron was as professional as anybody I have ever been around in my life, in his approach to everything,” he pointed out, “Every morning, I would go to the gym, work out, early, seven o’clock. LeBron would be there with his trainer. Practice is at ten. There is a reason, he is doing what he is doing at 39. The way he would approach practice and shootaround, talk in film sessions, engage his teammates, lead, very similar to Steph in that. I think LeBron is more vocal, but there is an inherent leadership immediately apparent with both guys. It was impressive to watch.”
Photo Credit: FIBA