Rick Carlisle Says LeBron James, Steph Curry Remain 'Gold Standard' Among NBA Players

On Wednesday, Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle spoke about a number of players who defined their generations, from Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980s to Michael Jordan in the 90s.

He believes Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry remain the faces of the NBA for this generation.

"Time will tell. But James and Curry, those guys are still the gold standard, really," he told reporters. "They're still it, and those guys have been absolutely beyond belief."

He added that there are a number of younger, up-and-coming stars who "have personality, that are such great promoters of the game, simply by virtue of how they play the game. With their joy, with their love."

Two of them will clash when the NBA Finals begin on Thursday, with Oklahoma City Thunder guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking on Carlisle's Pacers, led by point guard Tyrese Haliburton.