Steph Curry has become one of the staples of the American Century Championship over the last decade, his crowning achievement at Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament coming last year when he won his first title with a dramatic walk-off eagle.
But Curry might not be able to defend his championship after it was announced this week he would be part of his first U.S. Olympic team. The Golden State Warriors star is one of the headlining names on a 12-player roster that includes LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid. The only piece missing from Curry’s decorated career is an Olympic medal as this will be his first appearance in the Summer Games. Curry has played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups for Team USA and also played for his country at the youth level.
This year’s American Century Championship runs from July 12-14 with the Paris Games beginning July 26 and Team USA’s opener against Serbia on July 28. The Americans start training camp July 6 in Las Vegas with a warmup game in Southern Nevada against Canada on July 10. Team USA then has an international training window with games against Australia and Serbia on July 15 and 17 in Abu Dhabi before contests with South Sudan and Germany on July 20 and 22.
That timeframe does not make it likely Curry will be at Edgewood Tahoe this summer considering Sunday’s final round is July 14 and Team USA has a game against Australia on July 15 in Abu Dhabi. I don’t know of many direct flights from South Lake Tahoe to Abu Dhabi, although if there’s one glimmer of hope Curry could make an appearance in Northern Nevada this summer it’s the fact Team USA’s head coach is Steve Kerr, who coaches Curry with the Warriors.
Could Curry get a pass from Kerr for a three-day excursion to Lake Tahoe in the middle of Olympic preparation? I guess it can’t be ruled out, but Curry’s Olympic commitment — which is totally understandable given he’s never won an Olympic medal — seems to rule him out for an ACC title defense. Given how much the Currys — dad, Dell, and brother, Seth, are regulars, too — love the event, I’m sure it’s painful to miss the tournament. But this was probably Curry’s last shot to play in the Olympics, so he had to take it.