"If Steph is healthy and wants to play, I'm sure I can convince Grant to put him on the roster" - Steve Kerr on Steph Curry's availability for Team USA
It looks like Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry may be on his way to the Olympics.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr was named and introduced as the coach of the men’s national team for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics on Monday.
Olympic gold medalist and 19-year NBA member Grant Hill was approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors as the next executive director of the men’s USA national basketball team in the beginning of 2021. One of his first big moves was appointing Steve Kerr, who won five NBA championships as a player, to coach for the national team.
That decision could trickled down to the roster, as Steve Kerr is rumored to be picking Steph Curry to run point.
Steve Kerr's Olympic History
No stranger to men’s international basketball, Steve Kerr had his first appearance in 1986 as a player. Participating in the last Team USA squad to contain only amateur players and win a major tournament, Kerr won a gold medal at the FIBA World Championship.
Since 2017, Steve Kerr started writing his international coaching history as an assistant coach to San Antonio Spurs legend Gregg Popovich. Kerr was also involved in Tokyo last summer as America beat France in the final to grab its fourth straight Olympic gold medal. The experience from these opportunities should prove to be valuable to Kerr.
After Kerr was confirmed as the head coach, he said:
“If Steph is healthy and wants to play, I’m sure I can convince Grant to put him on the roster.”
"If Steph is healthy and wants to play, I'm pretty sure I can convince Grant to put him on the roster." - USA Basketball coach Steve Kerr.
Steph Curry's international basketball history
Steph Curry has three gold medals and one silver for Team USA, but he has never won an Olympic gold.
His Team USA biography of them can be seen here:
https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/mens/c/curry-stephen.aspx
Steph Curry is a daunting threat, understanding the differing playstyles in shot-creation and running the floor. Curry notably adapts to new occasions when they arise, as we saw in full swing this season. Never failing to pull up when he needs to, Steph Curry should be a wonderful addition to the Olympic roster.
Both coach Steve Kerr and star Steph Curry having international experience is one thing. The fact that they have such an experienced history in the same NBA organization is something entirely different.
Kerr and Curry have won three NBA championships together, as well as many player and coach awards between them during their tenure together. Needless to say, they are a duo that meshes extremely well. When deployed in the NBA, these two have proven to be a great tandem. It could be exciting to see if and how their chemistry adds to the potential success of Team USA.