RUMOR: LeBron James Has 'Genuine Disdain' on Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has been asked about his rivalry with now Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James in the past, and he said that he and LBJ respect each other (though it is not like they are the best of friends). This comes as no surprise as the two have gone to face each other in the NBA court for the NBA Finals for four straight years.
However, according to latest revelations, there might be more to their so-called feud than what meets the eyes.
Is It For Real?
Bill Simmons of The Ringer had a discussion with Brian Windhorst of ESPN regarding the release of his new book entitled, "The Book of Basketball 2.0." The two sports analysts believe that the rivalry between Stephen Curry and LeBron James have become more real than people think.
Although Windhorst came to LeBron's defense by saying that the superstar was not jealous of anyone, Simmons argued that things changed for the King when Curry came into the picture and instantly became a crowd favorite.
When LeBron came back to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, everyone thought that it would be the start of something great for the team again. However, in the 2014-15 campaign, LeBron's team had to face Curry's Warriors.
Sadly for LeBron that season, Curry came in and grabbed the crown. It was an unfortunate loss for James and the City of Cleveland, though they managed to come back even stronger the following 2015-16 season and avenge their defeat.
Despite LeBron's transcendent talent, he has always played the villain to Curry's heroics. It didn't help him that Steph and his Warriors have dominated the league in the past five years, reaching the NBA Finals five times and winning three titles.
Per Bill Simmons:
"It is not friendly. I think LeBron really has genuine disdain for him. And I think Curry's kind of like, 'F*** you, I've won as many titles as you have.' And you could feel it festering in this 2016 (Finals) because there's this underlying current of LeBron has gone back to Cleveland, the King is back, and then Curry comes in and kind of grabs the crown a little bit. And more importantly I think to LeBron ... became really popular."
They're Too Different
Both LeBron and Steph have their own strengths and weaknesses as well. They project themselves from different angles and that works for them and their teams.
In fact, the so-called "growing tension" between the two basketball legends have only made the games better. The NBA could really use a little of that tension to get people to be interested in basketball again.
LeBron is known as the "King" of the hardcourt. He is known as one of the greatest basketball players in the history of theleague. His size, court vision, athleticism are all top-notch, helping him win the MVP award four times.
Stephen Curry, on the other hand, has been known for his speed, agility ad incredible shooting range on the court. He may be smaller than the others, but he definitely does not let his size get in the way of winning games.
Curry has even led his team to greater heights in 2016 after their first championship, sparking the Warriors to a record-breaking 73-9 record. For what it's worth, he won back-to-back MVPs in 2015 and 2016 for his contribution to the dynastic Dubs.
These two great men of basketball have brought so much honor to their teams and their families. More importantly, the way they play has inspired a lot of aspiring basketball players to get out there and play. Their differences aside, these two men -- LeBron and Curry -- have become inspirations to the youth.
Whether their differences are real or not, one thing remains the same: their love for basketball is fueled by passion.
