NBA superstar Stephen Curry is recognized by various nicknames: The Chef, the Baby-Faced Assassin, and the Human Torch, just to name a few. His latest alter-ego was earned at the Paris Olympic Games this summer when the French tagged him as "the devil' for his unstoppable play.
“I watched a lot of the highlights from it," said Curry. "The French broadcasters were hilarious… ‘The devil Curry does it again.' I will not be adopting that nickname though.”
With French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the nation was hoping to upset Team USA and bring home a gold medal in the sport for the first time since 2013. They had arguably their strongest roster ever and they came in with extremely high confidence to start the tournament. It wasn't until the final game (for the gold medal) that they would be bested by Team USA.
Stephen Curry, along with the help of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and others, ended the possibility of a French victory and they ensured Team USA got to keep its place at the top of the basketball hierarchy. The experience was eye-opening for No. 30, who got to enjoy life as a teammate of his fellow NBA superstars.
After a relatively sluggish start for the 4x MVP, Curry caught fire down the stretch to lead the Americans to an undefeated Olympic run this summer. In the semi-finals against Serbia, Curry dropped a whopping 36 points. A few nights later, Steph scored 24 points for Team USA on 8-13 shooting from beyond the arc.
He was so impressive that the French labeled him as a devil who came to steal their hopes and dreams. For Curry, it's hardly his first time inspiring such feelings in his opponents and it probably won't be the last. Of course, unlike his "night, night" catchphrase, the 4x champion has no plans to associate himself with this trend.
Sadly, it was likely Curry's last time as a player in the Olympic games. At 36 years old, Steph will be pushing 40 during the next tournament in Los Angeles in 2028. With 15 seasons under his belt, the 2x MVP is closer to retirement than he's ever been and what's left of his career will be put to trying to win another championship with the Warriors.
After finishing 10th in the West last season, Curry has his work cut out for him. Between his aging body and the departure of his longtime backcourt teammate, Steph may be in for one of his most challenging seasons yet in a Warriors uniform.
Still, coming off a campaign with averages of 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, Curry is poised to deliver another MVP-worthy campaign for his franchise. If his teammates (Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and others) step up to provide the necessary support, they might have one more run left in them.
Regardless of what happens this season, Curry's performance for Team USA will never be forgotten and that's especially true for the millions of French fans who tuned in to witness his dominant display all summer long.
