The Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics is stacked with the best players on the planet. However, that comes with its own set of issues. When a team is filled to the brim with superstars, their roles will differ from what they are used to with their teams in the NBA. Despite having to be content with diminished roles, Stephen Curry has outlined the importance of superstars adapting to being role players.
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After Team USA’s 86-72 victory in a warm-up game against Team Canada, Curry spoke to reporters about how different the roles are for players on the roster. He revealed that assistant coach Erik Spoelstra had specified to them what they would have to do differently to succeed on this team, and ultimately, the kind of shots they must look to take. He said,
“Coach Spo [Erik Spoelstra] mentioned in one of our film sessions that we’re all high usage guys, and we’re used to have the ball in our hands… This team, [you have to] catch-and-shoot. Simple shots, you gotta be able to knock them down. You don’t know how many you’re going to get, you don’t know when they’re going to come.”
Curry then talked about the spacing, saying it was great and everyone had been getting great looks at the basket. However, he added that there were still improvements to be made and that they would come with time, saying,
“The spacing is great. We’ve been getting great shots this whole time, playing against The Select Team, against ourselves, and against Canada. That has been consistent, it’s just a matter of whether we can knock them down. And then, just try to make each possession a little bit smoother, knowing what we’re trying to get into. That will come.”
Steph details the adjustments of acclimating to new roles on Team USA pic.twitter.com/5bA42DiIVx
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 11, 2024
Given that most players on Team USA are used to creating their own and their team’s shots in the NBA, this will likely be a massive adjustment for them. However, if their game against Team Canada is anything to go by, it appears to be coming along swimmingly at the moment.
And if this side is only to improve further from here, perhaps the rest of the countries in the Olympics have likely started quivering already. Team USA’s lack of chemistry is the only thing that could potentially hinder their path to another gold medal win. However, early signs suggest that won’t be an issue for the star-studded roster.
