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Paige Bueckers praised Steph Curry’s 2024 Olympics heroics ahead of her Team USA debut at the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament alongside Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese
Paige Bueckers with Steph Curry(Image: Getty Images)
WNBA sensation Paige Bueckers has referred to watching Steph Curry’s performances for Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as a “heavenly experience.”
Whilst current WNBA headlines are dominated by concerns of a lockout due to a lack of progress between the league and the WNBPA on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Bueckers is preparing for her senior competitive debut with USA Basketball. She has been selected for their squad for the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.
The tournament is scheduled to start on March 11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Bueckers will be playing alongside stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Meanwhile, fellow WNBA star Sophie Cunningham has revealed the strict dating rules that many men can’t follow.
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Although Kara Lawson’s team has already secured a spot in the World Cup, which will be held in Germany in September, thanks to their victory in the 2025 AmeriCup last summer, the qualifying tournament provides an excellent chance for Bueckers and her teammates to build chemistry on the court.
In anticipation of her debut next week, likely against Senegal on March 11, Bueckers spoke to reporters about her favorite national team players. She praised Curry for his exceptional performances for America at the 2024 Olympics.
“Growing up, it was like Bron [LeBron James], D-Wade [Dwyane Wade], Kobe [Kobe Bryant], and then obviously like Sue [Bird], Di [Diana Taurasi]. I mean there was so many,” Bueckers shared during her media availability.
However, she then changed tack to commend Curry for his semifinal and final performances against Serbia and France, which resulted in Team USA claiming gold in Paris.
Stephen Curry’s signature celebration at the end of the Gold medal game(Image: Getty)
“When Steph went crazy [at the 2024 Olympics], that was like basketball,” Bueckers said after a brief pause. “Like a heavenly experience watching basketball, I can’t even put into words what it was like when I was watching that on TV.”
In Team USA’s semifinal victory over Serbia, Curry exploded, putting up 36 points in a 95-91 win. The Golden State Warriors guard shot 12-of-19 from the field and 9-for-14 from beyond the arc.
Curry also delivered several clutch three-pointers down the stretch, including one that gave Team USA the lead with under two minutes remaining in Paris.
In the final against France, he contributed 24 points, draining eight three-pointers, as Team USA defeated France 98-87 in the gold medal game. It also meant Curry finally secured an Olympic gold medal.
Steph Curry scored four three-pointers in the Olympic final fourth quarter(Image: Getty)
Whilst the men’s 2024 gold marked their fifth straight Olympic gold, Curry was unable to compete in 2012 and 2016 due to injury. He also chose not to participate in the 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bueckers also took time to highlight Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker as another player she admires, with the Wings guard acknowledging she is approaching playing for Team USA in the same manner he approached competing at the 2024 Olympics. “Honestly, whatever the team needs me to do [I will do],” Bueckers stated.
“I really admired the last Olympics when Devin Booker just said I’ll do it, anything this team needs me to do, I’ll do it.
“Probably won’t play the five! But if they ask me to, I will. I’m just really willing to do whatever and sacrifice anything, whether it’s starting, coming off the bench, playing this, playing that. Truly, it doesn’t matter, it’s just an honor to be on this team.”
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