Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green shared high praise for his teammate, Steph Curry, following Curry’s stellar performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Green did not participate, he was present to witness Curry’s unforgettable run, culminating in a gold medal win for Team USA.
Curry, making his Olympic debut at 36, delivered one of the most memorable showings of his career during the semifinal and gold medal games. After struggling with his shot in the early rounds, Curry exploded in the final two games, sinking 17 of 26 three-pointers.
In the semifinal, Curry led Team USA with 36 points, followed by 24 points in the gold medal game against France. His performance in the final minutes was particularly remarkable, hitting four three-pointers in the last three minutes to seal a 98-87 victory for Team USA.
Green reflected on Curry’s journey to the Olympic stage, commenting on how Curry embraced the moment. “To watch him go own that moment the way he owned it, only he can do that,” Green said during media day. “He had a very pedestrian Olympics, then gets to the final two games, and it’s Steph, right.”
Green emphasized the magnitude of Curry’s performance, especially given his shooting struggles in the earlier games. “He wasn’t shooting well, but you always know it only takes one, and then you know what follows,” Green said. “I thought it was absolutely incredible to see.”
Curry’s Olympic success filled a gap in his illustrious career, as the Olympic gold medal was one of the few accolades missing from his résumé. Green, who traveled to Paris to watch the final live, was in awe of how Curry stepped up when it mattered most. “It was amazing because all of the stuff he’s done in the NBA is great, and everybody around the world knows him,” Green said.
Green noted that outside the United States, winning an Olympic gold medal often carries more significance than an NBA championship. He highlighted how international players like Nikola Jokic have long dreamed of Olympic glory, whereas in the U.S., the focus is typically on NBA championships.
“To see him on that stage, where everyone else in the world is watching… that’s the thing you need to do in order to be that guy,” Green explained. He compared Curry’s Olympic moment to Michael Jordan’s iconic performance in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, emphasizing that Curry needed this milestone to cement his global legacy.
Green expressed deep admiration for how Curry not only played a key role in Team USA’s victory but made the gold medal moment his own. “He made that his moment in getting the gold medal, and that was as special as anything I’ve ever seen,” Green concluded.
Curry’s Olympic performance further solidifies his legacy as one of basketball’s all-time greats. For Green, being there to witness it firsthand was an unforgettable experience, and he believes Curry’s Paris Olympics moment will stand out as one of the defining achievements of his career.