Stephen Curry, at long last, is going to be a part of the Olympics. At age 36, after 15 NBA seasons, the Golden State Warriors superstar is going to represent the United States in the Games in Paris. It has been a long time coming and it's finally here.
Curry relayed the reasons why he hasn’t participated in the Olympics until now to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Part of his motivation to do so was Warriors teammate Draymond Green winning the gold medal in 2016 and 2020. Now, it's his chance to bring home the glory.
“In 2012, I didn’t get picked because I wasn’t on the level I needed to be,” Curry said, via Andscape. “In ’16, I was coming off the Finals run and I didn’t feel I would get the rest I needed to get ready for the next season. And in 2020, it was a COVID year. And just that whole process, I don’t remember what was going on family wise. But it wasn’t a good time for me. Draymond played. He won twice. So, obviously I was watching him and missed out. This year, the stars aligned. It feels great. I’ve obviously had some time off for the ramp-up and Paris. It is all really cool.”
Curry was still coming into his own as a player in 2012, fighting off ankle issues and merely trying to get the Warriors on a positive course. Plenty of his peers around his age, like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Chris Paul and Deron Williams, were playing at a higher level back then.
In 2016, Curry not only caught up to them but surpassed them as a superstar. But after two consecutive NBA Finals runs, he opted not to keep grinding through games in the summer. Then, when COVID hit in 2020, he opted to stay with his family. Finally, in 2024, the obstacles have been cleared and Curry is set for Olympic takeoff.
Stephen Curry excited to play in first Olympic Games
Curry has played for Team USA before, winning the FIBA World Cup in 2014. But the Olympic stage is something else. It’s one of the very biggest stages in sports and he'll be teaming up with some of the absolute best players in the world, like LeBron James and Joel Embiid.
Through the Team USA showcase, Curry has been playing really well, scoring in double figures in four of the five games and going off for 24 points against Serbia. He has started each game, gotten more familiar with his teammates and got to break the news to James that he’s going to be the country’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony.
As Team USA looks to once again prove it is the best international team when it's at full strength, Stephen Curry is looking to get his first taste of Olympic gold.
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