Golden State guard Stephen Curry realized that his opportunities to participate in his inaugural Olympics were dwindling. Thus, he and his wife Ayesha proactively began strategizing several months ago to ensure that the Paris Games would fit into their family plans.

Their family was expanding, as Ayesha Curry announced her pregnancy in March, with the baby expected to arrive in June. This timing wasn’t coincidental; the couple had forethought, aiming to keep the Olympic months of July and August free, just in case.

“We thought ahead, which was beneficial,” Curry remarked. “Had the timing not aligned with the fall, we would have made a different decision, considering the Olympics were a priority. Thankfully, everything fell into place, and if all goes well, I’ll be available this summer.”

And everything seems to be proceeding according to plan. Curry’s name was among the 12 officially announced by USA Basketball for the initial roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics. While there’s a possibility of adjustments before the first practice in early July due to injuries or extended playoff runs, Curry has been aiming to make his Olympic debut this summer for quite some time.

“I’ve had the desire to participate in the last two Olympics for which I was eligible,” Curry stated, referring to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the Tokyo Games postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. “Seeing competitors I’ve been facing for the past decade achieving that experience and winning gold medals, along with three of my teammates (Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green), I knew I wanted to be part of that.”

One might assume that a significant part of the persuasion to recruit Curry for this Olympic stint would revolve around the fact that his coach with the Warriors, Steve Kerr, also coaches the Olympic team. Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case. While Curry did engage in discussions with Kevin Durant and LeBron James about joining forces—a conversation sparked partly by the U.S. fielding a less star-studded team at the World Cup in Manila last summer, resulting in a fourth-place finish—Kerr didn’t exert pressure on his star player to participate this year.

“He expressed interest in it,” Kerr noted. “He’s enthusiastic about it. I think 2016 would have been the ideal time. In 2020, there was the pandemic. But we never really had that conversation. The toll of going to the Finals is exhausting, and we had consecutive appearances in 2015 and 2016. Then, 2021 was overshadowed by the pandemic. But now, it feels like the perfect moment. It’s another milestone in his illustrious career.”

Curry has already checked off numerous accomplishments in his career. He holds the NBA’s all-time record for 3-pointers, boasts four NBA championships, has been selected to the All-Star team 10 times (likely soon to be 11), has earned All-NBA honors nine times, clinched two scoring titles, secured two MVP awards, earned a Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, and cemented his place in the league’s 75th anniversary team. Additionally, he created a memorable moment in All-Star history this year by competing against WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu in a 3-point contest, someone he both mentors and admires.

Despite his legacy being firmly established, adding an Olympic gold medal to his collection would be a remarkable achievement.

“That’s the objective,” Curry affirmed.

Following a season where the Warriors won 46 games but missed the NBA playoffs, Curry’s next opportunity for competitive play will be in July when the American team gathers for training camp in Las Vegas. The U.S. kicks off Olympic competition against Serbia on July 28.

Curry has represented the USA on numerous occasions, dating back 17 years. He was part of the under-19 team that clinched gold at the 2007 Global Games and won silver in that year’s U19 world championships—an experience he recalls vividly, as losing stings regardless of the context.

Since then, Curry hasn’t experienced defeat with the national team—18 games, 18 wins. The team secured gold at the 2010 world championship (now known as the World Cup) with a perfect 9-0 record and replicated the feat at the World Cup in 2014.

“I’ve been yearning for this experience,” Curry reflected on his Olympic opportunity. “I feel the timing is just right. I’m at a later stage in my career, and this might be my last chance to compete. That made the decision much easier to make. Plus, I spoke with other players who were keen on participating, which hinted at the potential for a formidable team.”