Steve Kerr on how Team USA has changed perspective on LeBron James

Few rivalries have captivated the masses quite like LeBron James versus Stephen Curry. The two most decorated players of their generation, both adorned with regular season accolades and championship rings, Curry and James met in four NBA Finals and five total playoff series between 2015 and 2023.

In a compelling twist of fate, Curry and James are now teammates as Team USA looks to take home the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Leading Curry and James will be none other than Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Kerr, of course, was the sideline leader of the Warriors in each of the five postseason encounters between Curry and James.

In an interview with Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Kerr spoke candidly about what he's learned from seeing James as one of his players instead of as the opposition.

"I'm just blown away by LeBron's effort and concentration and focus," Kerr said. "On every single drill he talks. He's even in a shootaround walkthrough his voice behind the play, yelling out what's happening, yelling out the scheme, his leadership by example. The guy is incredible and I mean I've known that forever, but to see it up close is pretty special."

It's a full-circle moment that Team USA is hoping will produce its fifth-consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Steve Kerr is, "Blown away," by LeBron James

James is one of the most decorated players in NBA history. He's a four-time NBA champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time regular season MVP, record 20-time All-NBA honoree, and six-time All-Defense selectee, as well as the 2008 scoring champion and 2020 assists leader.

Undisputedly a top name among the greatest of all time, James has done almost everything there is to do in the sport of basketball.

For Kerr, this is a unique opportunity to understand James' basketball genius from a different perspective. They've gone head-to-head in five different playoff series, but game-planning for a player is different than building a strategy with them.

Two of the best minds in the sport will now work together in hopes of delivering gold for a country that made it a point to send in the big guns after finishing fourth at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

In terms of what their rivalry has looked like over the years, it's been as legendary as expected. Curry and Kerr hold the head-to-head advantage with three series wins over James' teams, but the most recent victory actually went to the 20-time All-Star and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23.

With the Warriors retooling this offseason by adding the likes of Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De'Anthony Melton in Klay Thompson's stead, perhaps another series could transpire in 2024-25.

In the meantime, Team USA will provide fans with all of the material they could possibly ask for. Curry and James will be teammates in a competitive environment for the first time ever, while Kerr will get the chance to coach his greatest opponent.

James already has an iron-clad legacy, and the same can be said for Curry and Kerr, but working together to win an Olympic gold medal will be a sight to behold.