Honestly, the first few games of the 2024 Paris Olympics were kinda weird if you’re a Steph Curry fan. He looked out of rhythm. The ball wasn't dropping. He was averaging a measly 7.3 points and shooting about 25% from deep through the group stage. People were actually starting to whisper—was the international game just not for him? Then, the semifinals against Serbia happened. Everything changed.
He didn't just find his shot; he set the arena on fire.
The steph curry olympics highlights we’ll be watching for the next twenty years didn't start until the stakes were highest. In that comeback win against Serbia, Curry dropped 36 points. He hit nine three-pointers. It was the second-highest scoring performance by any American in Olympic history. But that was just the appetizer for the gold medal game.
The Flurry That Silenced France
You've probably seen the "Golden Dagger" by now. If you haven't, it’s the shot where he was double-teamed, fading away, and threw up a rainbow that felt like it stayed in the air for an hour. It was his eighth three-pointer of the game. It put the US up by nine with 35 seconds left.
What's crazy is that Curry actually called the play himself.
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Steve Kerr later told the Court of Gold docuseries that Steph came over during a timeout and just tugged his ear. That’s the signal for "Ear Tug," a simple pick-and-roll with LeBron James. Basically, Curry told the coaching staff to get out of the way. He knew they couldn't guard it. He was right.
In a span of just 2 minutes and 23 seconds during the fourth quarter, Curry hit four straight threes.
- The first one came off a LeBron pass to make it 85-79.
- The second was a step-back over Nicolas Batum.
- The third was a catch-and-shoot off a Devin Booker find.
- The final one was the "Golden Dagger" over two French defenders.
The "night-night" celebration followed, and the French crowd, which had been deafening all night, just went silent.
Why the Shooting Numbers Matter
If you look at the raw data, Curry's Olympic run was a tale of two different players. He finished the tournament shooting 47.8% from three-point range. That sounds like typical Steph, right? But he actually shot a ridiculous 65.4% (17-of-26) in just the final two games.
He didn't just participate; he hijacked the medal round.
By the time he stood on the podium, he had joined Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony as the only Americans to ever hit 20 or more triples in a single Olympics. He also took home the 2024 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year award. Not bad for an Olympic debut at age 36.
LeBron, KD, and the "Bromance"
Watching the steph curry olympics highlights isn't just about the shots, though. It’s about the chemistry. For years, we saw Curry and LeBron James as the ultimate rivals. In Paris, they were basically inseparable. Steve Kerr called it a "bromance."
LeBron was the one setting the screens. KD was the one hunting for Steph in transition.
There's this specific moment in the Serbia game where the US was down double digits. Most teams would panic. Instead, LeBron just kept feeding Steph. James later said he "knew the onslaught was gonna happen." It’s that level of veteran trust that separated this version of Team USA from the ones that struggled in years past. They didn't care who got the credit, as long as the Chef was cooking.
The Legacy of the Golden Dagger
Curry himself has since said that the final shot against France ranks as the No. 1 three-pointer of his entire career. Think about that. The man has nearly 4,000 career threes. He has four NBA rings. He has the "Double Bang" shot against OKC. And yet, he puts the Paris dagger at the top of the list.
It was the crescendo.
The pressure of playing for your country is different. You aren't just playing for a city or a brand; you’re playing for the gold. Curry admitted that those final four minutes would define his entire Olympic legacy. If they lose that game, the narrative is about how the "old" stars couldn't keep up with the world. Instead, the narrative is about the greatest shooter to ever live doing exactly what he was born to do.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to really appreciate the nuance of these highlights, don't just watch the shots. Watch the off-ball movement. Watch how France started panicking the moment Curry crossed half-court in the fourth quarter.
- Go back and watch the full 4th quarter of the USA vs. France gold medal game specifically focusing on the spacing Curry creates even when he doesn't have the ball.
- Compare the shooting mechanics of his first three games versus the final two; you’ll see a noticeable shift in his set point and release speed as he got "tournament legs."
- Check out the "Ear Tug" play on film to see how LeBron James clears out the lane to ensure Curry has a 1-on-1 look.
The Paris 2024 run was a masterclass in staying present. Curry didn't let a cold start ruin his confidence. He waited for the biggest stage to remind everyone why he's the greatest to ever do it.