Stephen Curry

Who Is Stephen Curry?

Stephen Curry is a professional American basketball player for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, he is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry. Stephen gained national attention for his exceptional performance at Davidson College, where he showcased remarkable shooting skills. He was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Over the years, Curry has established himself as one of the premier players in professional basketball, renowned for his extraordinary shooting accuracy. He received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ NBA Championship victory in 2015. The following season, he led the team to an unprecedented 73-win record and became the first player in NBA history to receive a unanimous MVP vote in May 2016. Curry subsequently helped the Warriors secure additional championships in 2017 and 2018.

Early Life and Family

Stephen Curry, whose full name is Wardell Stephen Curry II, spent much of his childhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the eldest son of former NBA player Dell Curry, he was exposed to the fundamentals of basketball from an early age. His mother, Sonya Curry, a former Division I volleyball player, instilled a strong sense of discipline in him while Dell was away on road trips. Stephen has two siblings; his younger brother, Seth Curry, also pursued a professional basketball career after playing at Duke University, while his sister, Sydel, played volleyball at Elon University.

College Career and NBA Draft

Despite a standout high school career at Charlotte Christian School, Curry was lightly recruited by major college basketball programs. He chose to attend Davidson College, where he quickly made a name for himself, scoring 32 points in his second game against the University of Michigan and earning Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors. In March of his sophomore year, he gained national fame by leading the Wildcats to the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament, delivering a series of high-scoring performances. After an outstanding junior season in which he led the nation with an average of 28.6 points per game, Curry was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

NBA Stardom

Despite his relatively slight stature, Curry quickly proved his ability to compete at the NBA level with his shooting and ball-handling skills. He averaged over 22 points per game following the 2010 All-Star break and finished as a runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award. His strong performance earned him a spot on the USA Men’s Basketball Senior National Team, which secured a gold medal at the 2010 World Championships. However, Curry suffered a sprained ankle during training, an injury that affected his performance for the following two seasons.

Curry returned to form in the 2012-13 season, setting an NBA record with 272 three-pointers. He was named the Western Conference Player of the Month in April and led the Warriors to a playoff upset against the Denver Nuggets.

Championships

Curry earned his first All-Star selection in 2014 and achieved new levels of performance and popularity the following season. As part of the “Splash Brothers” duo with Klay Thompson, he led the Warriors to a 16-game win streak and became the leading vote-getter for the 2015 All-Star Game. He helped the Warriors defeat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, securing the franchise’s first championship since 1975.

In the 2015-16 season, the Warriors achieved a remarkable 24 consecutive wins, culminating in an NBA-record 73 wins. Curry finished the season with an astounding 402 three-pointers and led the league in scoring with an average of 30.1 points per game. However, the Warriors’ quest for consecutive titles fell short after a challenging playoff run, culminating in a Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Curry helped lead the Warriors to another Finals matchup against the Cavaliers in 2017, scoring 34 points in Game 5 and securing the team’s second NBA championship in three years. Following the 2016 loss, Curry humorously asked a friend to save a cigar for him to celebrate when the team won back the title, and he famously lit it up live on NBA TV after the victory.

In 2018, Curry faced a setback due to an MCL sprain late in the regular season. Despite this, he returned in time to assist the Warriors in the playoffs, leading to another Finals appearance against the Cavaliers. In Game 1, he scored a game-high 33 points, and the Warriors completed a sweep to claim their third championship in four years.

Two-Time MVP

Curry’s exceptional performance in the 2015 season, which included a record-setting 286 three-pointers and leading the league in steals, earned him the MVP award. In May 2016, he made history by becoming the first player to receive a unanimous MVP vote, joining an elite group of only 11 players to win the MVP award consecutively.

“I never really set out to change the game. I never thought that would happen in my career,” Curry remarked after receiving the MVP honor. “What I wanted to do was just be myself. I know it inspires a lot of the next generation to value the skill of basketball and the importance of hard work.”

New Arena and Injury

Curry had a remarkable 2018-19 season, averaging 27.3 points per game, but the Warriors faced challenges as they advanced to the NBA Finals. Due to injuries to key players, including Durant and Thompson, the Warriors lost to the Toronto Raptors in six games. The team entered a new chapter with their move to the Chase Center in San Francisco in 2019-20. However, Curry’s season was cut short when he broke his hand just four games in, sidelining him until early March 2020.

Stephen Curry’s Career Stats

As of the end of the 2018-19 regular season, Curry’s career statistics are as follows:

• Minutes per game: 34.4
• Field goal percentage: 47.7%
• 3-point percentage: 43.6%
• Free-throw percentage: 90.5%
• Points per game: 23.5
• Rebounds per game: 4.5
• Assists per game: 6.6
• Blocks per game: 0.2

Stephen Curry’s Salary and Contract

In 2012, Curry signed a four-year contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, earning $12.1 million per year. Despite his accolades as a two-time MVP, this made him the 85th-highest paid player in the 2016-17 season. In June 2017, he signed a historic five-year contract worth $201 million, making it the largest in NBA history at that time. Additionally, Curry has secured endorsement deals with companies such as Under Armour, JPMorgan Chase, Brita, Vivo, and PressPlay.

Production Company and Sony Deal

In April 2018, Curry established a production company, Unanimous Media, which signed a deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment. This partnership allows Sony first-look rights at Unanimous’ film and television projects, which are expected to focus on faith, family, and sports-related content. Curry expressed his desire to use his platform for positive impact: “I’ve been blessed to have this platform and I want to use it to affect the world positively.”

Volunteer Work

Curry has actively participated in philanthropic efforts since his college days, notably with the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, which provides mosquito nets to combat malaria in Africa. He also raises funds for educational initiatives through the Stephen Curry Foundation and hosts charity golf events.

Wife and Children

Curry married his college sweetheart, Ayesha Alexander, on July 30, 2011. Ayesha, born on March 23, 1989, in Toronto, Canada, is an entrepreneur and former actress, known for her roles in the series Ballers and as the host of Ayesha’s Home Kitchen. The couple has three children: their first daughter, Riley, was born on July 19, 2012; their second daughter, Ryan, arrived on July 10, 2015; and their son, Canon W. Jack, was born on July 4, 2018.