Steph thriving in unofficial role as heart of Team USA

Steph thriving in unofficial role as heart of Team USA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry has been radiant during the 2024 Paris Olympics, perhaps because the last time he carried such a light load was during his mid-teen years. This is liberating, and he’s using the freedom to fill an intangible need for Team USA’s men’s basketball team.

The squad has an abundance of skill, plenty of shooting and defense, lots of length and intellect, and a coaching staff with a deep reservoir of expertise. Curry, the starting point guard, is in the middle of it all. His shooting can fracture defenses, scorch nets and thrill crowds. But his additional contribution is no less important.

Curry, competing in the Olympics for the first time, is bringing life and laughter to the roster. It is welcome.

No team in Paris faces more pressure than Team USA’s men’s basketball. It is being hailed as the finest collection of talent in the world, comparable to the 1992 “Dream Team.” When Team USA, with a different roster, failed to medal in the FIBA World Cup last summer, that was a forgivable sin. It was, after all, the FIBA World Cup. And it was Steve Kerr’s maiden voyage as head coach in international competition.

The Olympics are a spectacle watched from every part of the globe, which is why Kerr’s roster is dramatically different from that which finished fourth last summer. Superstars LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Curry are on board. So are Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum. The only holdovers from last summer are young stars Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton.

America’s most accomplished NBA players are participating out of national pride. Everyone involved realizes coming home without a gold medal would haunt them for the rest of their days.

Curry, 36, is perceptive. Analytical. Strategic. With such a massive collection of massive egos assembling for a single purpose, and with exceedingly high stakes, he realizes the value of levity. Tight teams, regardless of talent, tend to struggle. Loose teams with talent that know when to sharpen focus tend to thrive.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/steph-thriving-unofficial-role-heart-005631819.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-07-30 00:56:31

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