Stephen Curry arrives at USA Men’s Basketball training camp.

JULY 5 FINALLY STEPHEN CURRY HAS RETURNED When USA Basketball gets embarrassed in international play, recruitments significantly improve for the following event. Following the 2023 FIBA World Cup, in which the USA finished fourth, the selection committee improved the roster vastly.

For the first time since 2014, the Golden State Warriors superstar makes his grand return to Team USA. With the additions Team USA made and France’s insertion of Victor Wembanyama, the 2024 Paris Olympics are set for a masterful display of basketball competition.

Watch Curry arrive here.

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sport

JULY 5 RIVERS RIPS Former NBA player and current analyst Austin Rivers is ripping the Golden State Warriors for how they’ve treated Klay Thompson … and for a breakup of a Big 3 he says deserves better.

“It ain’t right, and if you gotta pay someone then pay him. Especially what he’s accomplished for your franchise,” Rivers said on his podcast, referring to Klay Thompson moving from the Warriors to the Dallas Mavs.

It’s all a bit more complicated than that. But Rivers thinks there’s a bottom line here.

“With Steph (Curry) and Draymond (Green) still performing at high levels, the focus should have been on preserving that core group,” Rivers opined.

JUNE 6 LAKERS STEALTH JOB? Despite previous reports of media darling JJ Redick skipping the line to the front of the Los Angeles Lakers bench, the Buss family deployed a smokescreen. ESPN reports that two-time NCAA champion Chris Hurley, head coach of the UConn men’s basketball program, is “accelerating talks with the Lakers.”

Reportedly, Hurley was always the top choice amid the Lakers’ search for their next head coach. The really important question is, what does LeBron James think of Hurley? It seems he aligns with the Los Angeles front office going by his commentary via X: “He’s so DAMN GOOD!!! Along with his staff. Super creative with their [offense]. Love it.”