Getty Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr during a game in April.
With seven All-Star appearances, two scoring titles, two regular season MVP awards, and three NBA championships, Stephen Curry has done it all, that is except maybe one thing – win an Olympic gold medal.
The U.S.A. men’s basketball team is fresh off yet another gold medal finish in the Tokyo Olympics – their 16th time finishing in first place, including four times in a row – but the Golden State Warriors point guard has never joined the squad for the fun. Prior to his NBA career, Curry was with the United States national team at the 2007 FIBA U-19 World Championship, and then later with the senior team during the 2010 competition, but his most recent role in international play came in 2014 as a member of the World Cup team.
No. 30 said last month that although not joining teammate Draymond Green, head coach Steve Kerr and others in Japan was “a hard decision”, going to play “just wasn’t right” for him.
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Over the weekend, Kerr talked with ESPN NBA reporter Marc Stein about Curry’s shot at playing for Team USA in 2024, plus his rank among the all-time NBA greats.
‘Steph Can Absolutely Play on the Olympic Team Three Years From Now’
GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr during a game in 2019.
The near-consensus sentiment following the announcement of Curry’s four-year contract extension with the Dubs was happiness. It now appears that there is a very good chance that Steph will play his entire NBA career in the Bay Area.
A deeper dive could show a bit of concern from some fans though, because the 33-year-old superstar will be 38 once his newest contract expires. Count Curry’s head coach as one guy who doesn’t seem to be worrying about the future Hall-of-Famer’s status once he reaches his late-30s.
“He’s the best shooter who ever lived,” Kerr told Stein. “Steph can absolutely play on the Olympic team three years from now.”
The 2024 Olympics are slated to take place is Paris, France.
Stein Says Curry Could Still Get Better
GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr during a game in 2019.
Coming off one of, if not his most impressive regular season statistics-wise, it’s not crazy to think that Curry still has some time left in his prime. Stein believes that not only is this true, but the lethal outside shooter could still be getting better.
“As for the state of where Curry’s game is likely to be in three years, his brilliance last season without the assistance of the injured Klay Thompson should assuage concerns,” Stein wrote. “In February, I wrote this New York Times piece on Curry and his insistence that he’s still getting better – even as he acknowledged that ‘I know that’s kind of crazy to say.’ Within the Warriors’ organization, team officials concur with Curry’s notion that he still has room to expand his overall effectiveness because, in his own words, Curry has ‘always been a late bloomer.’
There are still over 1,000 days until the 2024 Paris Games are scheduled to begin, so Steph has some time to think things over.
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