Olympic Shock: Renowned NBA Sharpshooter Struggles on World Stage, Raising Questions About Pressure and Performance Under Spotlight

Paris, France — The Bercy Arena was buzzing, the world’s eyes fixed on the hardwood, and the greatest shooter in basketball history was struggling. For the first time in his storied career, Steph Curry seemed out of rhythm, out of sorts, and out of answers. Five Olympic games, just five made threes. There were games where he didn’t even get a shot off from distance. How could this be happening to the man who changed the way the world sees the three-point line?

This is the story of Curry’s Olympic debut—one of adversity, doubt, and ultimately, redemption. It’s a story that plays out not in highlight reels but in the quiet moments of self-doubt, the grind of practice, and the roar of a comeback that will echo through basketball history.

The Struggle: A Slow Start in Paris

When Team USA arrived in Paris, expectations were sky-high. The roster was stacked—LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and, finally, Steph Curry, making his long-awaited Olympic debut. For Curry, this was the culmination of a lifelong dream: “It means everything,” he said. “We still have something to prove this year because there’s a lot on the line.”

But the opening games told a different story. Against Serbia, Curry looked solid, hitting 3-for-7 from downtown. But then came South Sudan, a team that had nearly upset the Americans in an exhibition. Curry missed all five of his three-point attempts. The struggles continued: shots rimmed out, defenders closed in, and Curry’s trademark rhythm was nowhere to be found.

By the end of the group stage and the quarterfinals, Curry had made just five of his 20 three-point attempts. Team USA was winning, but Curry looked lost. The doubters didn’t waste a second, flooding social media with questions: Was Curry washed? Was international basketball exposing his weaknesses?

The Weight of Expectation: A Familiar Pressure

For Curry, this wasn’t the first time the world questioned him. In Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, after a 43-point explosion in Boston, Curry went 0-for-9 from three. The media pounced. “Does it bother you?” reporters asked. “Of course it does,” Curry replied. “But the track record says, you know, I’ll shoot the ball better next game. Looking forward to that bounce back.”

In Paris, that bounce back would have to come against the world’s best. The semifinals loomed—USA vs. Serbia, a rematch of titans.

Semifinal Showdown: USA vs. Serbia

The Americans had been unbeaten, but Serbia was fearless. “We’re not scared,” said Bogdan Bogdanovic. “This is the dream team, but they are not unbeatable.”

Serbia played out of their minds, raining threes and building a double-digit lead. Curry hadn’t hit the heights fans expected. Jokic was dominating, the Serbian shooters were relentless, and at halftime, USA trailed by 11.

“I knew at a certain point I’d need to have a night,” Curry said later. “Where I got to provide some impact.”

Midway through the third, the Americans were drowning. Serbia held a ten-point lead. Then, Curry made space for a shot—his seventh three of the night. The avalanche began. Curry flew around screens, fired off-balance shots, and ignited a run that cut the lead.

A key sequence: LeBron grabbed a rebound, fired ahead to KD, who scored. On the same possession, Booker hit a wide-open three. Six points in a flash. Suddenly, the momentum shifted. Curry came back and put the US ahead. The Americans were rolling. “Steph Curry, been quiet throughout the tournament and incredible tonight,” the announcers marveled.

USA survived the onslaught, holding off Serbia’s final push. LeBron and Curry were extraordinary. “That was probably the greatest game I’ve ever been a part of,” Curry said. “Everything on the line… Could not be topped.”

The Gold Medal Game: France vs. USA

The final was set. France, the host nation, against the unbeaten United States. For France, it was a chance at the greatest upset in sports history. For Team USA, it was a shot at gold medal number five.

France had chemistry—players who’d been together for years, training every summer. Team USA had talent, but less cohesion. “That’s their biggest disadvantage,” a French player noted. “That chemistry going to help you when you got to guard Steph?”

The game exploded from the start. Durant fired into LeBron, who scored. Wembanyama replied with a three. Booker answered. The pace was relentless.

LeBron tried to create another dimension of effectiveness and defense, reading the court, anticipating every move. Curry waited for his moment, letting the game come to him. “Try to be as present as possible,” Curry said. “Let the game kind of come to you.”

USA built an eight-point lead at halftime, living and dying by the three. But France refused to quit, cutting a 16-point deficit to just three. Wembanyama’s putback dunk brought the crowd to its feet. The Americans were on the ropes.

Redemption: Steph Curry’s Moment

With the game tightening, Curry stepped up. LeBron passed to Curry, who calmly drained a three to quiet the arena. Again, Curry faked, flew away from defenders, and hit another. “Don’t worry about me,” he seemed to say. “I was always the skinniest kid on the court… Didn’t really get all the major offers. I just needed the opportunity to showcase my skills.”

Curry’s footwork, balance, and confidence shone through. The French defense doubled him, but quick passing found Curry open again. Unbelievable. The doubters were silenced.

Two years earlier, after going 0-for-9 from three in the Finals, Curry bounced back with 34 points and six threes in Game 6. Now, on the biggest stage of all, he was doing it again.

The Shot: Curry’s Olympic Signature

In the final minutes, with the gold medal on the line, Curry found himself with the ball. LeBron and KD were open on the wings, hands up, expecting a pass. But Curry took the shot—a high, arcing three that hung in the air forever.

“OHHHHHHH, this is extraordinary!!!” the announcers screamed. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”

99.999999% of players would have missed. Only one guy could make it—Steph Curry. “To me, it is a crazy shot and the footwork looks difficult, but I’ve done it so many times. I was going to make it. I had no choice but to make it.”

The French announcers called him “the devil.” Curry laughed it off. “I will not be adopting that nickname, though.”

The Work Behind the Magic

What makes Curry’s moments possible? Hours and hours of work, every day, every week, every month. “Steph Curry practices 500 shots a day, seven days a week, bar none. That’s 3,500 shots a week, 168,000 shots a month, 2.52 million shots a year,” a Team USA staffer said.

All that practice for a handful of moments—the ones that matter most.

Team USA: Champions Again

For the fifth consecutive Olympics, the United States stood atop the podium. France’s dream run ended in heartbreak, but the Americans’ resilience and star power prevailed.

Those last two and a half minutes were special. “Guys were hyping me up. We had confidence in what we were trying to do, and I was just really present in the moment, and enjoying myself,” Curry said.

LeBron and Steph, KD and Booker, Embiid and Edwards—each played a role. But Curry’s redemption was the defining story. “Steph’s being modest. He earned this the last couple weeks every day, the work ethic, and it’s not an accident that they’re able to do what they do down the stretch of games.”

Legacy and Lessons

Curry’s Olympic journey is a lesson in perseverance, self-belief, and the grind behind greatness. When the world doubted him, he trusted his process. When the shots weren’t falling, he relied on positive self-talk and the confidence built over years of work.

International basketball is different—more physical, less forgiving, with defenses designed to disrupt rhythm. But Curry adapted, found his moment, and delivered when it mattered most.

For young players, the lesson is clear: you earn the right to make magic through relentless effort. “Perfecting that craft. When I know the feeling that flows from your feet all the way to the top of the release, and then you just kind of let the rest go.”

Looking Ahead

As the NBA season looms, Curry’s Olympic experience will fuel his next chapter. “I’m worried for the opponents in a couple years,” he joked. The run isn’t done.

For Team USA, the gold medal is a testament to talent, teamwork, and the ability to overcome adversity. For France, it’s a memory of a lifetime—a reminder that in sports, anything is possible.

Conclusion: The Heart of a Champion

Steph Curry’s Olympic debut was far from perfect. He struggled, doubted, and questioned himself. But when everything was on the line, he remembered who he was—the greatest shooter in basketball history—and delivered in unforgettable fashion.

In Paris, Curry didn’t just win gold. He won respect, silenced doubters, and wrote another chapter in the story of basketball greatness. The world watched, and for a few magical minutes, witnessed the heart of a champion.