LeBron James and Stephen Curry have each put together two of the most remarkable individual careers in the history of the NBA. However, these two legends will forever have their career intertwined with one another, not just because of their rivalries, but because of how they forged a new era of stars to be born.
For the last decade, these two superstars have run the NBA.
Adam Silver and the league office have continued to make them the faces of the sport despite nearing the end of their careers, and almost every player entering the NBA today idolized one of them growing up.
Although both players' talent has played a major role in them being the faces of the NBA, Stan Van Gundy recently brought up another strong reason why both James and Curry are well respected by everyone around the league.
“Those veterans – Steph, LeBron, and KD (Kevin Durant) – they get it. Nobody really gets it more than Steph Curry with the way he relates to fans and things like that. When you’re as talented as those guys, you can act however you want and get away with it,” Van Gundy explained in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints. “But these guys understand their responsibility to the game itself and to the fans.
“I probably have more respect for how they conduct themselves in that way than they do on the court.”
In every professional sports league, plenty of athletes tend to act out and become enamoured with the spotlight after their first check hits the bank. Fame and glory overshadow many players' true intentions, but that's not what being in the NBA is about for LeBron and Steph.
The humility these two players share cannot be matched. James and Curry have set the standard for how a superstar player should conduct themselves, and that is why Van Gundy holds a tremendous amount of respect as they enter their 23rd and 17th seasons, respectively.
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Even though James and Curry were both constant headaches for Van Gundy to deal with during his coaching career, he now has a greater appreciation for what these stars have put their bodies through to get to this point.
“First of all, it’s a lot more fun to watch them where I am sitting now than where I was on the other bench. That wasn’t fun going against those guys at all. I did not enjoy watching those guys play at all,” Van Gundy sarcastically told ClutchPoints. “But, obviously, it’s fun watching them now, where I am calling the game from. It’s really a testament to the time and effort they put into taking care of themselves.
“If you look particularly at LeBron and Steph, they may be the two most conditioned basketball players we’ve ever seen. Beyond their talent, I mean, these are two highly conditioned guys.”
Van went on to discuss how James' and Curry's conditioning levels at their respective ages is remarkable.
“Recovery in your 20s is pretty easy for a professional athlete. You might be able to go out or not watch your diet, but if you’re going to compete with these guys into your late 30s and into your 40s for LeBron, you’ve really got to make some sacrifices.”
James and Curry continue to be the pinnacle of what it means to be a professional athlete, and their talent is just one example of their greatness. The way they conduct themselves, as Van Gundy alluded to, speaks volumes as well, which is why LeBron and Steph have set the standard for the next era of the NBA.
See ClutchPoints' full interview with Stan Van Gundy and his take on the 2025-26 NBA season here