Kerr on Curry: Olympic gold the last thing for him in basketball

Berlin — Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says the Olympics is the last thing on the two-time NBA MVP’s list to achieve after the player hinted he has an “itch” to play again for Team USA.

Kerr helped Team USA to the gold medal at Tokyo 2020 as the side’s assistant coach under Gregg Popovich earlier this month, while Curry sat out the tournament.

The 33-year-old Warriors point guard cited the short break between NBA seasons for opting out of Tokyo 2020.

Curry was part of gold medal-winning US sides at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2014 FIBA World Cup but has never participated at an Olympics.

“I don’t think I even need to advise Steph on any of that because he’s been through the World Cup experience at least once, I think twice, if I’m not mistaken,” Kerr told The Athletic.

“He’s competed at the highest level internationally. The Olympics is probably the only thing left on his list of basketball accomplishments.

“He’s achieved everything else. I think that would be great if he was interested in ‘24. I think that’d be a great thing for him to pursue if he wanted to do it.”

Curry will be 36 years-old by the time the 2024 Olympics in Paris are held.

The three-time NBA champion returned to top form in the 2020-21 NBA season as the Warriors stormed into the play-in tournament.

Curry told reporters last month: “No regrets at all [in not competing at Tokyo 2020], but there’s always that itch to play and play on the biggest stage, like the Olympics. But it just wasn’t the right thing for me and the right time.”

STATS Perform/DPA