The sunny shores of Lake Tahoe are a familiar summer spot for Stephen Curry, but not for his famous three-point shots. Here, at the American Century Championship, the NBA superstar is all about his golf game. As the tournament’s champion, Curry is always a main attraction, and this week, he gave the massive galleries following his every move a little something extra.

During a practice round, Curry walked up to the tee, and with a playful grin, took a swing that made everyone around him burst into laughter. It wasn’t his usual smooth golf swing, instead, it was a spot-on, funny impression of his longtime rival and good friend, LeBron James. After hitting the ball, Curry held his finish, leaving his golf club hanging dramatically in the air as he bent his knees and torso in an exaggerated pose that looked exactly like the one James had recently shown off.

After soaking in the applause for his hilarious act, Curry turned straight to the camera to make his intentions super clear. It wasn’t just a joke; it was an open invitation. “Unbelievable impersonation of my guy Bron’s follow through in the golf swing,” Curry said with a laugh. “But we all want to welcome LeBron James to the world of golf because the game needs you, big fella.”

This friendly request was the latest step in Curry’s public effort to get the Lakers star hooked on golf. The whole thing actually started just a few days earlier when James, who says he’s brand new to golf, posted some videos on Instagram showing his “admittedly unpolished swings” from only his second time ever playing. Those videos quickly went viral.

Curry, who has loved and played golf well since he was 10, was one of the first people to comment. On James’s original post, the Warriors sharpshooter wrote, “Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.” His impression and direct invitation at Lake Tahoe have now made that message even stronger, turning a fun online chat into a public welcome for one of basketball’s greatest players to try out a new competitive sport.

Although it wasn’t the first time the two exchanged playful jabs, one of the most memorable moments came in 2017 at Harrison Barnes’ wedding. Stephen Curry was recorded mimicking a workout dance LeBron James had posted on Instagram, set to Tee Grizzley’s “First Day Out.” Standing beside him, Kyrie Irving—then still LeBron’s teammate—was seen laughing along. The video quickly went viral, with Curry later calling it “my favorite video in the entire world,” even giving LeBron a shoutout, which was notable considering their intensifying rivalry at the time.

But LeBron didn’t let it slide. Just a few months later, he hosted a Halloween party that took things up a notch. Among the themed decorations and costumes were not-so-subtle references to the Warriors’ infamous 3-1 collapse in the 2016 NBA Finals—a direct shot at Curry and Golden State. The back-and-forth banter, while lighthearted, added a fiery layer to one of the NBA’s most iconic modern rivalries.

But while the banter with LeBron is all in good fun, make no mistake: Curry is dead serious about reclaiming his crown at Lake Tahoe. After sitting out the 2024 tournament to win a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, he is back to defend the title he won so dramatically in 2023. As his brother, Seth Curry, predicted last year, “I’m sure he’ll be back next year with a vengeance.” While his dad, Dell, and brother held down the fort last year, this return feels personal.

His amazing 2023 win—which included a hole-in-one and a walk-off eagle putt on the very last hole—is already the stuff of tournament lore. This year, he seems to be carrying that same calm confidence. And this relaxed, confident vibe that Curry shows on the golf course also applies to how he feels about the Golden State Warriors’ pretty quiet offseason.

Curry talks Warriors business amid Tahoe title aspirations

As he played his way through the Edgewood Tahoe course this week, Steph Curry took a moment to talk about his team, sounding pretty hopeful despite how tough the Western Conference always is. That good feeling comes from how much the team turned things around last season after Jimmy Butler joined them mid-season.

“I look at our last 30 games, after Jimmy got here, and I think we were top 3 in net rating,” Curry told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Obviously, for us it’s about being healthy and getting through a season. I think with the core we have, if we’re healthy we can compete with anybody.”

That core, though, isn’t quite the same now. Curry admitted it hurt to see a key player leave, saying he “hated” seeing his longtime teammate Kevon Looney go to New Orleans on a two-year, $16 million deal that the Warriors just couldn’t match. “Loon was part of that for a decade, instrumental to not only our championship runs but the culture around the locker room,” Curry thought back. “He was a stable presence for everybody, and we’ll miss his voice and his presence. I’m glad he got paid and got what he earned.”

The other big question mark is what’s happening with Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent who has found a surprisingly “tepid” market, meaning there’s a big difference between what he hopes to get paid and what teams, especially Warriors have offered. Curry addressed the delicate negotiations diplomatically: “I love playing with Jonathan, and I know he has a lot of potential to figure it out at a very high level. We’ll see what happens.” His focus remains on the foundation the Warriors have built. “That’s a big enough sample size to know we have something to work with,” he said. “Now we’re just trying to get better around the margins.”

That focus on the foundation is what makes him so strong, both on the basketball court and on the golf course. His return to Tahoe is driven by wanting to repeat the magic from two years ago. He even said he found the exact spot of his 2023 winning putt and took a photo for his phone, a personal reminder of what’s possible.

Listed as one of the favorites to win, Curry gets the pressure and actually likes it. “I know I’ve accomplished a lot (in basketball),” he said, “but that’s dream-worthy stuff.” For a superstar who thrives in the biggest moments, it’s just another day at work—whether that work is in an NBA arena or on a sunny golf course in Lake Tahoe.