NBA Top 10 Countdown: Six - Will the kitchen be ready for the chef Steph Curry?
It was one of the most powerful images of the Olympic Games. Once again, it looked like Team USA might fall. France were seriously outplaying the Americans in the final of the basketball tournament, and looked set to win. Until Stephen Curry came along and blasted Les Bleus with a series of extraordinary three-pointers.
What better way to sum up the career of the Baby-Faced Assassin? 15 seasons of terrorising defences with clutch shots. One of the greatest players of the 21st century is back in action, after a season in which he lived up to his billing as one of the best players in the NBA. But the main problem was his supporting cast, with the Warriors falling in the play-in game.
And therein lies the problem. Klay Thompson is gone, Draymond Green is ageing, to put it mildly. The management is getting to the end of its rope by recruiting more scorers, but the West remains as crowded as ever, and the omens are not very favourable for Golden State, the best team of the 2010s who are on the decline.
But their leader isn't. An undisputed superstsar who last season recorded his 13th out of 15 career seasons above 40% from three-point range.
And there's no reason why that should change this season. But however strong he may be, the leader cannot work miracles. It is important for legends to take care of their exits. At the age of 36, Steph Curry will probably no longer be in this top 10 next season, even if he puts in a top-class performance.
We'll have to wait and see what the Warriors' final result will be, which will largely determine how his season is judged. But there's no reason not to expect a very, very high-flying Curry.
2023/2024 stats: 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 45% shooting, 40.8% three-pointers
Targets for 2024/2025: 28 points in 50/40/90 / direct qualification for the playoffs / All-NBA Team