Steph Curry, LeBron James hating each other would be better for NBA than a lovefest

One of the biggest problems with the NBA in the modern era is that even if the superstars can't play with each other anymore, they're still all friends.

Dec. 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (center right) greets Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (center left) after the game at Chase Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stephen Curry and LeBron James are sipping wine in a special episode of "This is Yet Another Reason Why the NBA is Not Resonating."

Naturally that is not really the title, but rather the latest podcast from four-time league MVP King James, with his two-time league MVP Steve Nash co-host called "Mind the Game," where the duo welcomed two-time league MVP Steph to reminisce and tell each other about how great they are.

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Jan. 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the third quarter at Chase Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

No surprise, it was a lovefest through and through, and it made me mad. This is a micro reason of a macro problem of why the NBA, especially during the regular season, is not must-watch viewing.

Hating each other made for amazing rivalries

Apr. 6, 2009; Detroit, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans and NBA former player Magic Johnson (right) hugs NBA former player Larry Bird (left) during a press conference before the championship game of the Final Four in the 2009 NCAA mens basketball tournament against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Ford Field. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Magic Johnson and Larry Bird hated each other throughout their careers, only finding gratitude and friendship in retirement when the battle wounds had healed and legacies were cemented.

That was followed up by Michael Jordan, still generally considered to be the GOAT no matter the LeBron spin machine, who notoriously wanted to destroy anyone he played, including perceived friends like Charles Barkley.

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley during the 1993 NBA Finals in Chicago. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Steph and LeBron at one time 'disliked' each other

Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) with the Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The hatred is gone. Steph and LeBron are the final two superstars of generational greatness, and at one time, they admitted they didn't like each other.

"I mean, s**t, when you're in a dogfight and there's one guy that's trying to stop you from reaching your goals, you're going to dislike that person," James said to ESPN. "He disliked me, I disliked him because we were both fighting for what the f--- we wanted, and that's the Larry O'Brien Trophy."

It all culminated in the 2016 NBA Finals, where the Golden State Warriors were looking to go back-to-back and were heavily favored against LeBron's hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) fouls Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Dub Nation had it under control cruising to another title, up three games to one, before Draymond Green's controversial Game 5 suspension changed the entire series and the Cavs dramatically won three in a row to immortalize Akron, Ohio's favorite son. (Sorry Steph, I know you were born in Akron too.)

"All you think about is just winning," Curry said. "So, yeah, it was petty. It was competitive. Trash talking. All the above."

Old man yelling at the cloud because those days are over

Jan. 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) smiles on the court during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Fast forward to now, and both have four NBA championships. Steph is widely considered the greatest shooter of all time, and changed the game forever with his unlimited range, now the NBA titleholder for most 3-pointers made.

LeBron has the most points in NBA history and is at least brought up in the GOAT conversation, and no one besides possibly Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been this good for this long, now at 40 years old. (Steph is 37.)

"[But] there's always respect. I didn't like the player," Steph said at the time. "The person's always great. You just hate when he has a jersey on wearing No. 23."

Now it's all kumbaya, and in fact, Draymond Green and LeBron James are in each other's inner circles, with Green being represented by LeBron's Klutch Sports Group, run by LeBron's bestie Rich Paul, which many critics believe has too much influence on the league.

Will we ever learn? Probably not

Feb. 24, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat players Chris Bosh (1) and LeBron James (6) and Dwyane Wade (3) during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Bulls won 93-89. | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

LeBron, no offense, might have already ruined it when he created the first superteam with the Miami Heat alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Now agencies like Klutch completely control player movement, and most of the biggest superstars hang out with each other any chance they get, especially during the offseason at exotic locations like Cabo San Lucas, Mexico or the French Riviera.

It's hard to feel real stakes when there is no real animosity on the court. LeBron and Steph, for as great as they are, now and forever, should still hate each other...

For the good of thee game.

Dec. 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (right) talk before the game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

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