The USA men’s basketball team won their fifth straight gold medal in the Paris Olympic games. Despite the star power and previous success, this team was under constant scrutiny since they started playing their exhibition games. One name in particular that was under a lot of heat was Steph Curry.
Olympic Destiny
Surprisingly the best point guard of this generation had never played Olympic basketball. Up until the last two games Steph had a quiet tournament. To the point that people were actually questioning if he should’ve even gone to Paris. As if he hasn’t already made a career of proving people wrong, the last two games proved he was destined to be an Olympian.
Steph dropped 36 to help USA make a 13-point comeback in the 4th quarter against Serbia. He then put one of the most iconic shows in Olympic basketball history to close the gold medal game against France. Mind you, USA was playing France in their own home court. Yet fans couldn’t help themselves from being in awe of what they were watching.
Generational Talent
With 4 triples in the final three minutes, Curry reminded the entire world of what the best shooter of all time is capable of. Giving fans that don’t usually get to see him play something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Steph finished the game with 8 triples, 24 points and a ridiculous final shot over two defenders. The best shooter on the planet finally has the one piece of hardware he was missing, a gold medal.
With an already impressive resume Curry will go back to try and win at least one more time in the NBA. However, he won’t have the level of talent around him he had with this team. While Steph is a one of a kind of player, the Warriors are in a tough spot with the way their team is currently constructed.
With Klay Thompson now in Dallas, Curry doesn’t have a player that can help carry the load. Unless Wiggins comes back from his 2022 Championship vacation he never returned from, I don’t see the Warriors making a real run next year.
Steph is a winner
This doesn’t mean Steph can’t win; he is still one of the best players in the league. Curry will turn 37 in March but saying he is washed is disrespectful and ignorant at this point. Father Time might think otherwise but the one skill that doesn’t go away is shooting, it just so happens Steph is the best one to ever do it. I believe Curry will follow LeBron’s path to playing at an elite level even late in his career.
If the Warriors or any other team can raise the level of talent surrounding Curry, he is more than capable of leading them to the promise land.
