Paris Olympics: After LeBron James, Steph Curry’s Gold Medal Quest Finally Begins in Iconic Fashion

As the Paris Olympics 2024 draws near, excitement is at an all-time high. Team USA’s guard, Stephen Curry has officially kickstarted his Olympics prep in a rather unique way. After his teammate, LeBron James took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes from his first training session, Curry chose a more unconventional route: an open run.

Steph Curry was spotted at an open run game at a Sacramento gym yesterday. A viral video shows the star in an informal but competitive game. He missed a three-pointer at the beginning, but his team soon created another window for him. As the ball went in, Curry’s hands instinctively made his iconic “night night” gesture and the crowd cheered him on. But he lowered his hands right away as if he was suddenly reminded of the need to show respect towards his opponents in the informal setting.

The “night night” gesture is just Curry’s unique celebratory move that signifies, in his own words, “putting ’em to sleep.” The fan-favorite move has now become a signature for the Golden State Warriors guard. An expression of his confidence and flair on-court, his move has won hearts worldwide.

It started in a game against Denver Nuggets in 2022. “That was the conversation I was having with myself. Not with anyone else on the team or anyone else in the arena. Then I had finished that layup underneath Jokic, and that was the thought that came out – just to do the sign. I didn’t say ‘Night Night’ at that time; I was just telling myself, ‘Put ’em to sleep,’”  Curry said in an interview.

Curry’s unusual beginning in the Sacramento gym is a testament to his unwavering star power and his grounded approach as he sets off on his quest for Olympic gold. With Paris on the horizon, Curry and his teammates face several obstacles on their path to the gold.

Team USA faces setback ahead of Olympics, star players injured

The 12-man lineup for Team USA, which includes some of the biggest stars in basketball, was revealed in April. But in light of injuries to Center Joel Embiid, Forward Kawhi Leonard and Point Guard Tyrese Haliburton, changes are inevitable. The current lineup excluding the three players, is as follows:

Point Guard – Stephen Curry

Shooting Guards – Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday

Small Forwards – LeBron James

Power Forwards – Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum

Centers – Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo

Though the roster still has plenty of elite players, concerns loom large regarding the availability of the injured players. Even though there is a slight possibility of recovery, a backup is still necessary. Grant Hill, managing director of Team USA, underlined the significance of having a backup plan. Hill said. “We have a contingency plan, and we have that at every position. We’ll keep that internal. We hope that doesn’t happen.”

With Jalen Burson also out of the picture as a potential replacement due to his own recent injuries, take a look at the other replacement options and roster changes:

Tyrese Haliburton- Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell

Kawhi Leonard- Jaylen Brown, Paolo Banchero

Joel Embiid- Chet Holmgren, Bobby Portis

Even though Team USA has a talented squad, its performance in Paris may suffer if important players like Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, and Tyrese Haliburton are lost. To stay competitive and win the gold, the squad needs to be ready for any substitutions. With seasoned players like Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James at the forefront, Team USA hopes to rule the Olympic basketball stage once more.