Megastar Monday: Steph Curry and the Warriors
January 25, 2016
Stephen “Steph” Curry of the Golden State Warriors has become the poster player for the National Basketball Association (NBA). His mixture of an outgoing and sunny disposition with a “try and stop me” swagger has captivated the American sports world. Simply put, Curry is fun to watch, especially when he nonchalantly makes 25- and 30-foot 3-point shots with a flick of the wrist and a defender in his face. He’s the perfect leader for a Warriors team that has earned praise for playing basketball “the right way,” emphasizing teamwork and speed.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) puts up a shot against Cleveland Cavaliers guard J. R. Smith (5). Credit: © Tony Dejak, AP Photo
Curry has been widely proclaimed to be the greatest shooter in NBA history, and his complementary skills as a passer, dribbler, and rebounder make him one of the NBA’s most complete players.
He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2014-2015 season and led the league in scoring. Curry is leading the NBA in scoring again for the 2015-2016 season, and his Warriors have the best record in the league as they compete for their second straight championship.
Wardell Stephen Curry II was born on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, but grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. While attending high school at Charlotte Christian, Curry led his team to three conference championships. Curry did not receive a scholarship offer from any major college basketball program. He finally accepted a scholarship from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina.
Curry built a reputation as a scorer during his three years at Davidson. In his freshman season in 2006-2007, he set a single-session NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) record for made 3-point shots. The next season, he set an NCAA record for 3-point field goals by any player, and in 2008-2009, he was the NCAA Division I scoring leader. Division I consists of all major college teams.
Curry decided to leave school after his junior year to enter the NBA draft. His scoring exploits at Davidson convinced the Warriors he was worth selecting in the 2009 draft, and the club picked him as the seventh player in the first round. Some people predicted that Curry, a guard at only 6 feet 3 inches (1.19 meters) in height and 190 pounds (86 kilograms) in weight, was too small to withstand the demanding physical style of the NBA. But his scoring average of 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.9 steals was good enough to finish second in the Rookie of the Year voting. In his second season, Curry was awarded the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award. The championship 2014-2015 season was his coronation as one of the NBA’s superstars.
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