Stephen Curry praises LeBron James’ work ethic after Olympic gold run

Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry are widely recognized as two of the greatest players in NBA history, serving as the faces of the league for nearly two decades.

The two have defined a generation of basketball, with their rivalry headlining four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018, and several unforgettable clashes in both the regular season and playoffs. Despite their fierce on-court competition, LeBron and Curry share deep mutual respect and admiration for one another off the court.

In 2024, the pair joined forces for the first time at the Paris Olympic Games, leading Team USA to the gold medal. The experience gave Curry a closer look at LeBron’s legendary work habits — something he had long heard about but never witnessed firsthand.

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Curry recently appeared on LeBron James’ Mind the Game podcast, co-hosted by fellow NBA legend Steve Nash, where he reflected on what it was like to finally share the court — and locker room — with the Lakers star.

Longtime rivals revisit one of their most classic matchups.@KingJames and @StephenCurry30 dissect the Cavs vs. Warriors 2016 Finals on a brand new episode. Watch on our YouTube, @PrimeVideo or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch on YouTube: https://t.co/HdIN9eJzNE pic.twitter.com/qSphseju8f

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) November 4, 2025

“I think we are going to hype each other up a lot, but walking into the locker room last year during the Olympic journey, we hadn’t played with each other. I had just heard about the work ethic and sheer volume of time and how he takes care of his body, but when you see somebody on that level, couldn’t beat him to the gym in the morning,” Curry said.

“It was like there was an energy of we all know this is the stuff that makes you who you are on the court, that’s going to prepare you for the moments when the lights are bright. I don’t even think we talked about it, it was just an unspoken thing, like this is what you do. I learned that early in the process, to know to not take that for granted so that you can be your best self. There is no accident when it comes to being who you are, no matter how you learn it or how you get there,” he added.

This is high praise from Curry, who is himself known for his exceptional work ethic and professionalism. The Warriors star overcame multiple ankle injuries early in his career to become one of the greatest shooters and most influential players in basketball history.

Two generational icons — once fierce rivals, now Olympic teammates — continuing to set the standard for greatness both on and off the court.

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