Stephen Curry says LeBron’s IQ is his biggest quality: ‘It is insane’

The NBA organized a very special encounter before this Wednesday’s Christmas Day matchups, which involved a combined interview with future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. During the meeting, they were asked to mention what they admired the most from each other in the basketball court.

The Lakers superstar started by praising the Suns veteran. “Give me KD’s pull-up, hesi, left,” the 39-year-old said, while Durant talked about the inevitable: Curry’s legendary shooting. “The quick twitch on his jump shot,” he said.

When it was the Warriors guard’s turn to talk about LeBron, he mentioned his ability to impact the game whenever he decides to. “I’m gonna take LeBron’s IQ,” Steph shared. “Being able to control the tempo and the flow of the game single-handedly is insane.”

LEBRON JAMES VS. STEPH CURRY ON CHRISTMAS

LeBron: 31 PTS, 10 AST, 4 REB, 54% FG

Steph: 38 PTS, 6 AST, 1 REB, 58% FG

🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/EwTOYlbIK1

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 26, 2024

It is a known fact that these three players’ careers are winding down and an entire generation of talent will come to an end. For the Golden State player, this comes as no surprise, as he’s even told the press that he wishes to hang up his basketball shoes in a Golden State jersey in the upcoming seasons.

This past Christmas Day, he opened up once again during an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, revealing that he thinks about it “more than I probably have” before. “It’s okay to accept and acknowledge that the end is near,” he said in a video that surfaced online by NBA on ESPN.

He then added: “But only because it allows you to enjoy what’s happening right now. But I think the more you talk about it and the more you acknowledge it, the more it levels up the sense of urgency in the moment, now.”

Even though his contract with the Warriors ends after the 2025-26 season, he certainly wishes to play more before he ends his Hall of Famer career, which include four NBA titles, 10 All-Star selections, two-time scoring championships and two-time league MVP.

Curry and James continue to prove their rivalry is historic, especially after this past Christmas Day’s clash when they combined for 69 points

The Warriors just lost to the Lakers in a very exciting Christmas Day clash, which ended 113 to 115, with both Steph and LeBron leading the charge just like the old days. While Curry dropped 38 points, his rival superstar sunk 31.

The Golden State guard is still playing at an elite level basketball, despite some evident decline on his stats. For example, two years ago, he averaged nearly 35 minutes and 30 points per contest. Last season, those averages dropped to about 33 and 26.

Almost a decade ago, Steph was reaching his prime, which took him to four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018. The veteran guard knows that kind of intensity is difficult to repeat, but admitted that he’s inspired by players like LeBron who workout every summer to keep in shape.

“You carry that all year. Those offseason workouts, in the back of your mind, his [James’] face is in your head,” Curry said recently in an interview with the Lakers star and former teammate Kevin Durant. “Thinking about who you’re going to have to beat to get to the ultimate goal.”