Steph Curry racks up jaw-dropping shots everyday, but there’s one that still stands apart. Curry had a “Golden Dagger” in his armor at the 2024 Olympics. That dagger was that eighth and final three-pointer in the Olympic gold medal game, which sealed Team USA’s 98-87 win and locked in a fifth straight Olympic title. 

However, Curry was not in his best form for that tournament. He averaged just 7.3 points per game in the group stage, including a disastrous 1-of-9 and 0-of-6 on 3-pointers against South Sudan. Then, in the quarterfinal against Brazil, Curry had just 17 points in his seven minutes, and something just felt off.

His fellow USA teammate Derrick White confirmed his discomfort, saying, “In the beginning [of the Olympic tournament], Steph wasn’t himself. We were waiting for that Steph game to happen, and it happened in that Serbia game, and he carried it over to the gold medal game.” 

Even with that initial stumble, Curry turned up with his old self when it mattered. He went off for 36 points in the semifinal in Serbia and then put France to sleep with his signature ‘Night Night’ celebration and game-high 24 points.  The three-point machine reminisced about that fabled Olympics run on its first anniversary, which concluded with him delivering one of the most memorable performances of his lifetime. 

As if remembering it all, The sharpshooter posted on his Instagram a carousel of photos from that run.

“A year ago, today. We did that! Loved hooping with my guys, representing our country, and bringing home the 🥇. Memories for a lifetime. Avengers forever.” The post doesn’t just capture key moments from their Olympic run, it also offers an electrifying behind-the-scenes look at how the ‘Avengers’ of basketball trained for glory. In one of the clips, you have Curry guarding LeBron as he calls the plays, while in another, you have the best basketball team in the world holding a dunk contest.

The team was just so good that they almost cruised to the gold medal without breaking sweat. It was the USA’s fifth consecutive Olympic title, extending a winning streak that began at Beijing 2008, which will hopefully be extended in Los Angeles in 2028. Unfortunately for the generation that grew up watching Curry, they might not see him donning the USA shirt in 2028. “This might not come around again,” 

Curry said after that win, but there is a part of every basketball fan that hopes to see the point guard at the biggest stage for his country once again. There is a reason why Curry was so important to this squad. The 2024 Olympics coach, Steve Kerr, has revealed what exactly what made him special despite being surrounded by the best players in the world. 

Steph Curry became Team USA’s go-to leader in Paris, says Steve Kerr

“Unbelievable—f***ing Steph Curry. Jesus Christ,” Steve Kerr exclaimed to his assistants after Curry’s game-sealing shot in the Olympic final. At 36, it was astonishing to realize he’d never played in the Olympics until now. But finally, on basketball’s biggest stage, Curry delivered. Even after his disappointing run in the group stage, Kerr recently revealed that players from the roster looked up to him to carry the mantle. 

On the Glue Guys Podcast, Kerr didn’t hesitate: even with a roster stacked with legends, Steph Curry was the unquestioned closer, the one everyone counted on when it mattered most because of his mindset. Kerr said,

“Even on a team with some of the all-time greats, they were all deferring to him, and he was chasing the ball. It’s the most amazing mindset I’ve ever seen. Michael had a similar mindset, but Michael’s mindset seemed to come more from a desire to kill the opponent, to just stick the knife in and twist it.”

Each legend has a different outlook on how the game should be played. Jordan vs Curry is the typical old school vs new school approach, but both remain two of the greatest to ever play the game. Like Kerr said, Curry makes basketball an art. And that’s what attracts fans, too. He is an artist with hustle, which propelled him to come back from that minor slump and eventually be the center of the show. His legacy is set among the most celebrated players of his generation.