Steph Curry’s résumé speaks for itself, especially after adding an NBA Finals MVP trophy to his collection.
But after the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 to earn their fourth NBA title in eight seasons on Thursday night, coach Steve Kerr couldn’t help but poke fun at the homegrown superstar.
It’s true that Kerr described Curry's fourth ring and Finals MVP performance as a “crowning achievement” for his legacy, but that’s not the only thing he’s missing if he wants to be an all-time great in his coach’s (joking) eyes.
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“No, he's missing an Olympic Gold Medal,” Kerr said to raucous laughter from reporters, “and I think he really has to focus on being on the 2024 Olympic Team.
“That's the last thing for his career. Sorry, I couldn't resist.”
Kerr was named the 2022-24 USA Basketball Men’s National Team head coach in December after serving as an assistant coach for the team from 2017-21, so his humorous recruitment tactic wasn't all that surprising.
Curry has never played in the Olympics -- something his coach certainly hopes will change. He passed on playing at the Tokyo Olympics after an MVP-caliber 2020-21 NBA season that saw him lead the league in scoring.
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The only thing that would beat being able to coach Curry would be the chance to coach him on two teams, but Kerr doesn’t truly believe the 34-year-old needs any more accolades to prove himself. In fact, he didn’t even think the Finals MVP award was the missing piece Curry needed to cement himself as an all-time great.
“Honestly, the whole Finals MVP thing, it's like, I mean, are we really -- I guess his career has been so impeccable, and that's the only thing we can actually find,” Kerr told reporters on Thursday night. “So it's great to check that box for him. But it's been really hard for me to think that that's actually been held against him.”
Curry certainly silenced his doubters by taking home his first Bill Russell trophy, and he might just set his sights on a new challenge in the Olympics.
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On NBA TV after the game, Grant Hill, who is managing director of the Men’s National Team, also jokingly gave Curry a hard time about his need for an Olympic Gold Medal. Curry enjoyed the quip and appeared to take it as a challenge.
“I need some motivation,” Curry laughed.
That bodes well for the Olympic team, where his teammate Draymond Green has already won two Gold Medals.
And as Dub Nation has witnessed firsthand, there’s nothing Curry can’t put his mind to when he wants to show the world what he can do.