Nuit nuit
Steph Curry caps a career in spectacular fashion.
Good evening. Let’s basketball.
Mound of Butter; Antoine Vollon; 1875-85
It’s absurd to think that Stephen Curry could do anything more in his career to solidify and build his legacy after the back-to-back MVPs (one of them the first unanimous vote ever), the championships in the 2010s, the comeback championship and Finals MVP in 2022 and, you know, totally revolutionizing the game as a deep shooter.
And then the final two rounds of the 2024 Paris Olympic men’s tournament happened.
After one of the single greatest individual performances in Team USA men’s history against Serbia in the semifinals, Steph finished off a resilient as hell French team in the golden medal game on Saturday with a triptych of increasingly difficult triples. After struggling through group play and drawing questions about his role on a team focused on LeBron’s creation, Joel Embiid’s post game and Kevin Durant’s shotmaking, Steph answered the call.
Without Steph Curry on this team — no matter which American you’d replace him with on the roster — Team USA almost assuredly does not win gold. That reality was inconceivable a week ago. It’s undeniable now. Team USA needed the three greatest players of the 2010s, all now in their late 30s, to win the 2024 gold.
To watch so many American stars Curry has destroyed in similar fashion — including his co-star LeBron, who is clearly Steph’s biggest career rival — celebrate Steph’s flurry of daggers is remarkable. It’s something only international basketball, and more specifically Team USA basketball, can offer up: rivals and enemies teaming up to claim group victory over a mix of teammates and friends and rivals and enemies. (On that note: Anthony Edwards, a future Team USA main character, was quiet … except when he hit a first half stepback over teammate Rudy Gobert and sang in his face all about it.)
Steph has always seemed particularly well-liked by fellow NBA stars. Why wouldn’t he be? He’s cold as hell on the court, he’s a nice dude that doesn’t participate in cheap shots, his impact is undeniable. But this is another level of respect, including from NBA players on other national teams. Bogdan Bogdanovic will surely never forget Steph dashing his dreams. Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama — they will remember this week for a long, long time.
LeBron too has added yet another layer to his legacy in this tournament as the clear jéfé of the squad. Keep me out of the GOAT debate, but there’s something to be said for consolidating support among your peers. Over the course of the tournament, LeBron outperformed all of his MVP, All-NBA, champion, All-Star and all-timer teammates. At age 39. With his NBA career — at least in terms of MVP and championship contention — appearing to be ticking toward midnight.
There will be time to talk about 2028. (Four years, to be precise.) I think this tournament, while obviously keeping the gold streak alive — that’s five straight now — created some real red flags for the future of USA Basketball. We’ll talk about Jayson Tatum’s future, and exactly which of these gold medalists can lead a team against a world getting more and more competitive every cycle. That the team’s three biggest stars are almost certainly done after 2024 is a big deal.
In four years.
Allez les red, white and blues.
Victor Von Doom
He’s coming. What a performance. And he really, really, really, really cares.
Can the Spurs sign Guerschon Yabusele, please?
The Olympics
Incredible games overall with one day left (which will include Team USA vs. France on the women’s side). My favorite since … uh, 2008? American women continue to lead. The 4x100 women’s relay final was simply incredible … and then was overshadowed by the 4x400 women’s relay final. The women’s 1500 was wild. The field events were incredible. Volleyball (both flavors) was highly entertaining. Raygun happened. My daughter is prepared to give her life to artistic swimming. What an Olympics. See you in Los Angeles.
Back on Monday morning to talk about the future of Team USA. Lauri can wait.
Be excellent to each other.
Just an astonishing game—two astonishing games. I am exhausted.
The men’s game was good but the women’s…. I’m primal screaming. Kahleah Copper, “that bitch” per A’ja. Ziller, you should turn on chat for these games.