Steph Confirms How LeBron Helped His Paris Olympics Recovery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Everyone needs positive words of encouragement, including Steph Curry.
The Warriors star was mired in a deep shooting crisis during the 2024 Paris Olympics which had just ended, and he was trying to get out of this cold snap.
But it was LeBron Jamesa bitter rival turned Team USA teammate who helped Curry get hot just in time for the medal round, when the two-time NBA MVP went thermonuclear to win the gold medal.
Curry, while speaking about how he emerged from his slump, confirmed James’ influence during his appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” last week (Hello Lakers Nation)
“It’s a lot of positive talk,” Curry told Colbert. “That’s all it means. We were winning and I was doing my part, doing other things, setting good screens, just trying to play hard, playing defense. But I knew at some point I was going to have to make shots. That’s what I’m here for.”
“And I remember after we played Puerto Rico in the group stage, I was doing an interview with one of the guys from the Bay Area and while he was talking, he asked me the same question: ‘What’s wrong with your shot? Are you worried about it?’ And I had a positive talk. I was like, ‘No, we’re going to win. I know it’s going to happen. I know a burst is going to happen.’”
“And then as soon as I said it, LeBron came up behind me and was like, ‘Fuck, that’s true,’ in his little baritone voice. And I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ At first, it caught me off guard because I was still getting used to liking this guy because of all our fights. And now we’re teammates and friends and it really gave me a boost. And ultimately, it came at the right time.”
Colbert, of course, had to wonder if Curry and James’ new friendship would get in the way of their fierce battles when the Warriors and The Los Angeles Lakers play this season.
“Not at all,” Curry said.
THE Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle is the reporter Curry spoke to in early August when james made the comment.
Curry enters medal round with an average of only 7.2 points per game during the Olympic Games, but in the semi-final and in the gold medal game he scored 60 combined points on 17 of 26 3-pointers.
The four-time NBA champion sealed the gold medal for Team USA with four three-pointers in the last 2 minutes and 47 seconds against France and finished the victory with a “Golden Dagger” over two defenders.
Curry came in at the perfect time and made sure James got some of the credit.
