“Basketball is a lifelong game. You continue to learn from the game day in and day out. All throughout the time, along the way, you get better.”
Scottie Pippen (American Basketball Player)
Basketball is one of the most popular games cherished across the globe. As per the website WorldAtlas, basketball is estimated to have 825 million fans worldwide. This sport, which has a global sphere of influence was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891, in Massachusetts, USA. Originally, it was an alternative to football, as a game that could be played in-house, with a lesser potential for accidents.
Basketball is a game played between two teams, who have 5 players each. The shot is considered a goal when the ball passes through a hoop that is raised 10 feet above the ground. The craze for NBA leagues is at par with the Football leagues happening globally, which is phenomenal. The current rivalry of two NBA legends LeBron James vs Stephen Curry is no exception to this. But do you know how this conflict began? Let’s have an idea, then!
The Journey Of The Fantasy Football:
NBA leagues have been one of the most cherished events for basketball lovers but after the advent of the internet, fantasy Basketball made it even more exciting. These games have become a leisure pursuit for the fans. They get an opportunity to build virtual teams comprising some of their hot favorites and enjoy the game along with winning lucrative rewards. Now, what could be better than that!
Coming To Who Is Better LeBron Or Curry? So, Why Not First Get An Idea Of Their Profile?
LeBron James: Is He The One Blessed With The Highest Basketball IQ?
The legendary American basketball player is often compared to Michael Jordan, a legend player. LeBron was born in Ohio on 30th December 1984 to a mother who was merely 16 at that time. His father had almost no involvement in his life.
In spite of growing up in tough conditions, James managed to continue his education along with showcasing his gifted basketball skills in his school team. That time, he also participated in football matches and proved that he can ace this game as well.
LeBron’s professional basketball journey started in 2003 when he was picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown squad for the NBA draft of the year. He performed excellently throughout the season and in the end, grabbed the NBA Rookie of the Year Award to become the first-ever Cavalier to do that!
The years following 2003 have proved to be lucrative LeBron James as he received many awards and recognition for his amazing basketball skills. So, let’s have a glimpse of a couple of James achievements that have made his a superstar:
- Thrice an Olympic medalist of which 2 are gold (2008 & 2012)
- Awarded as the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year 2012
- FIBA AmeriCup and FIBA World Cup medalist
- Youngest basketball player to gather 30000 points in the game
- 3x NBA Champion and 15x NBA All-Star player
These are only a few of LeBron’s accomplishments so far, the list is endless and still building.
Stephen Curry: How The Game’s Underdog Who Turned Into The Greatest Shooter Of All-Times?
Curry was born in Ohio on 14th March 1988, to a family where his mother Sonya was an educator and father was a member of the basketball squad Cleveland Cavaliers. His sibling Seth Curry is a professional basketball player for the NBA.
Both the legends LeBron and Curry share the same birthplace but their early life is entirely different. On one hand, the former faced quite a lot of struggle in rising to stardom and was a basketball prodigy since his childhood, the latter on the other was never so popular in the sport during his schooldays.
Stephen Curry’s college life brought him a lot of recognition and highlighted his scoring capabilities. In 2009, he was picked by Golden State Warriors in the year’s NBA draft. Post that this young basketball wizard hasn’t looked back once also. To the top of it, as of now, he is the leader of the squad! So, let’s explore some of his key achievements in his career till date:
- 5x NBA All-Star and 2x NBA Champion
- Winner of the NBA Three-Point Contest
- Grabbed the MVP award in 2015
- Earned the title of the only player in NBA history to grab the first NBA championship, Three-Point Contest, and NBA MVP award in the same season
The list of Curry’s accomplishments can’t be accommodated in a couple of lines. The future holds many victories and records for him.
Still, Confused Between Stephen Curry Or LeBron James? Why Not Take A Look Over The Stats Of These Basketball Gems?
Talking about the NBA leagues, both these legends have played 35 games in total against each other in which Curry won 21 and LeBron 14. The former has an average of 23.6 points to his name and the latter has 31.3.
James proved to be better than Stephen in terms of stats in 26 games. But Curry overpowered the King James in 7 games. Not bad, right? Taking into account the journey of these two basketball stars they both have proved their skills time and again but there’s a rivalry in the air which is unavoidable!
While fans keep comparing the two players, there’s no team Stephen vs team LeBron in the hearts on these two players as it’s evident from the statements made by them. When Curry was questioned about whether he had taken over James to be the next NBA star, he politely responded:
“I’m not here to rank or compare who is better. The comparison is really annoying. I’m not playing to be the face of NBA or take LeBron’s throne whatsoever. I’m here to chase the rings. And that’s what matters.”
Likewise, when James was asked something similar, he said, “Steph was definitely the MVP of our league and is the MVP in our league. I respect him for his skills and what he does for the league is second to none, incomparable.” Far from being close to the rivalry vibe, they’re more of respectful for each other’s expertise. Fans love keeping a close eye on their performances and boasting who is their favourite among the two stars.
Let’s See How 2019 Turned Out For These Basketball Players? What’s In Store For Them In 2020?
If we look at the LeBron vs Stephen 2019 statistics, the former is leading the table that too with a large margin of 939 points. Also, King James scored 1928.5 fantasy points and was one of the most popular players of the fantasy league.
Additionally, he managed to grab 397 assists, 48 steals, and 296 rebounds along with 20 blocks to his name. Now, that’s commendable!
Curry also proved to be an excellent asset to his squad by making 26 amazing assists, 20 rebounds, 15 turnovers, and 5 steals. He earned 129.5 fantasy points and as always was the first choice for building a robust virtual team for the young basketball lovers.
2020 has brought ample opportunities for these two legends and as per speculations, they both might play together for a team this year. Stephen mentioned in one of his recent interviews with ESPN that in 2020 he is planning to take part in Team USA in the Olympics that would be taking place in Tokyo this year.
2019 was extremely tough for the young chap and his squad the Golden State Warriors as he has to undergo surgery in his left hand. This was the reason why he couldn’t perform his original game. Everyone, including his die-hard fans is expecting much from him in 2020. Let’s keep fingers crossed!
Now coming to LeBron James as he wasn’t a part of Team USA in Olympics 2019 but speculations are there that he might participate in the same this year. Big news for his fans, right? Also, he was declared as one of the leading goal scorers in the fan voting for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
Coming to the star’s 2019 journey that wasn’t easy at all but he made it to the Time magazines’ 100 most influential people’s list of the year. That’s incredible! From sitting at bench due to injury and not being able to play any games for his club Los Angeles Lakers to some of the most amazing goals, King James had it all in 2019. His fans are expecting a lot from him in 2020 and he is all set to fulfill those expectations!
The Final Say On Who Is Better LeBron Or Curry?
Whatever happens in the future, LeBron will be remembered as one of the greatest players. His experience, physique and stardom, all are aligned. Coming from a low income background, he made it to the top, on the basis of his hard work and sheer determination.
Stephen Curry, on the other hand was an underdog who had to work his way up. Like most of us, in general, a relatable story. Coming from a privileged family, he had that advantage.
It’s extremely tough to cherry-pick between these two basketball gems as one is an example of someone who fought through every struggle and earned the stardom! And the other is still quite young but has showcased amazing shooting skills and has become an inspiration to millions worldwide. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more to these two players, their techniques. So, both James and Curry are best in their respective skills and it would be unfair to compare them with each other. They both own NBA rankings in their cool styles and all eyes are set on them for exhibiting some magical powers in 2020 as well!
