LOS ANGELES, United States – The eternal LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant keep the fun and their careers going while symbolizing American omnipotence in decline at a time when European players are taking up the torch in the NBA, including the 2024-2025 season begins Tuesday.
At 111 years old, James (39 years old, 40 in December), Curry (36 years old) and Durant (36 years old), three big stars of the league born in the 1980s, a rarity now, continue to attract attention, with a still exceptional sporting level.
As proof, the three friends found themselves this summer within Team USA and quite easily dominated the basketball tournament of the Paris Olympic Games, Stephen Curry extinguishing France’s hopes in the final with a series of shots from distance.
But which American generation will be able to keep their flame alive? Among their Team USA teammates, none currently possesses the aura or talent that allowed them to dominate the NBA, with the possible exception of pivot Joel Embiid, born in Cameroon, but arrived in the United States. United at 16, before obtaining American citizenship in 2022.
NBA champion with Boston, Jayson Tatum has been reduced to a minor role in Paris, Anthony Davis remains LeBron James’ lieutenant with the Lakers, while Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are still stars in the making.
22nd season for LeBron James
The major players are now foreigners, logical since for several years the NBA has become international: last season, 125 players (out of 450) came from 40 countries outside the United States, including 26 Canadians and 14 French, a record before the finalization of the squad for the 2024-2025 season.
The Europeans have settled at the top of the pyramid: the Serbian Nikola Jokic was MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2019 and 2020, the Slovenian Luka Doncic took Dallas to the final in the spring and the giant Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, who is starting his 2nd season, is set to dominate the league in the coming years.
The trend is unlikely to reverse as more and more young players are drafted from Europe: the last two No. 1s are French (Wembanyama in 2023 and Zaccharie Risacher in 2024).
Despite their age and the wear and tear of the seasons, James, Curry and Durant have not yet called the end of the game.
LeBron James signed a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in July, with the second year remaining at his discretion.
He begins his 22nd season Tuesday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, enough to equal Vince Carter’s longevity record.
” Costs “
Above all, the “King” will once again make history by becoming with Bronny James the first father-son duo to set foot on an NBA court together.
Selected at the end of the draft (55th), Bronny James (20 years old), whose ability to establish himself in the NBA remains uncertain, should get some playing time with the Lakers this season, while commuting with the G League, the development league.
“I feel great. I had a great summer, I feel very good physically, sharp, fresh,” LeBron commented at the beginning of the month.
Stephen Curry has signed a contract extension which now runs until the 2026-2027 season.
The only one of the three on a team that seems to be able to claim the title, Kevin Durant, committed until 2026 with the Phoenix Suns, has the opportunity to extend his contract for one year, or to wait until next summer to bring it to 2028.
“I don’t even think about it. I’m focusing on the game. We’ll see in due time. I have two seasons left on my contract, that’s what I want to focus on,” he said before the start of the season.
None of the three has yet mentioned the end of their career, enough to slightly extend the presence of American stars in the NBA.
