Stephen Curry may be known for being the best shooter in NBA history, but he has yet to prove that at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Steve Kerr, his coach both on the Golden State Warriors and on Team USA, can notice this unexpected contrast in the 36-year-old.
Curry is playing in his first Olympics, and while many expected him to make a huge impact in France, the truth is he’s struggling to like like his true self. Kerr admits he’d love to see Steph bounce back, but made it clear he’s not desperate about it.
“Yeah, but I’m not sitting here with bated breath thinking, ‘Oh my God, this has to happen,’” Kerr said when asked about his desire of seeing Curry have a breakout performance once and for all.
The truth is Team USA‘s strongest performances have come off the bench so far, but Curry’s lackluster production from beyond the arc still makes noise. Kerr, however, has defended his player by claiming there are other keys to victory.
“We know what wins a FIBA game — it’s defense,” Kerr said. “We are just completely focused on our defense and part of defense is finishing the play with rebounds. The beauty of our team and the depth of our talent is that from one game to the next, we’ve got lots of guys who have the ability to get rolling (on offense).”
Curry defends himself from shooting struggles at Paris 2024
Curry admitted being annoyed with his shooting struggles, but that doesn’t mean he’s being hard on himself. The Warriors star understands the Olympics differ from the NBA due to the FIBA rules.
“Rarely does one person take over a (FIBA) game,” Curry said. “Guys who are 6-9 can find matchups, so it’s a little easier for them for sure. But on the whole, I think it just looks different, and you have to be comfortable with how it feels and looks compared to the NBA.“
Stephen Curry predicts breakout, LeBron James agrees
Curry is also confident this is only a negative streak that will be over soon. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, LeBron James also thinks the Splash Brother will get back to his best soon.
“‘You want to continue to be confident shooting the ball — I always am,’ Curry said. ‘I know a flurry is coming.‘ On cue, without breaking stride, James turned his head and shouted back, ‘It sure is, goddamn it.'”
