Wardell Stephen Curry II ( STEF-?n; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. In 2014-15, Curry won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975. The following season, he became the first player in NBA history to be elected MVP by a unanimous vote and to lead the league in scoring while shooting above 50-40-90. That same year, the Warriors broke the record for the most wins in an NBA season en route to reaching the 2016 NBA Finals. Curry helped the Warriors return to the NBA Finals for a third straight year in 2017, where he won his second NBA championship.
Curry is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry and older brother of current NBA player Seth Curry. He played college basketball for Davidson. There, he was twice named Southern Conference Player of the Year and set the all-time scoring record for both Davidson and the Southern Conference. During his sophomore year, he also set the single-season NCAA record for three-pointers made.
During the 2012-13 season, Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a regular season with 272. He surpassed that record in 2015 with 286, and again in 2016 with 402. During the 2013-14 season, he and teammate Klay Thompson were nicknamed the Splash Brothers en route to setting the NBA record for combined three-pointers in a season with 484, a record they broke the following season (525) and again in the 2015-16 season (678).
Video Stephen Curry
Early life
Stephen Curry is the son of Sonya (Adams) and Dell Curry. He was born in Akron, Ohio while his father was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where his father spent most of his NBA career with the Charlotte Hornets. Dell often took Curry and his younger brother Seth to his games, where they would shoot with the Hornets during warm-ups. The family briefly relocated to Toronto, where Dell finished out his career as a member of the Raptors. During this time, Curry played for the Queensway Christian College boys' basketball team, leading them to an undefeated season. He was also a member of Toronto 5-0, a club team that plays across Ontario, pitting him against fellow future NBA players Cory Joseph and Kelly Olynyk. Curry led the team to a 33-4 record, en route to winning the provincial championship.
Following Dell's retirement, the family moved back to Charlotte and Curry enrolled at Charlotte Christian School, where he was named all-conference, all-state, and led his team to three conference titles and three state playoff appearances. Because of his father's storied career at Virginia Tech, Curry wanted to play college basketball for the Hokies, but was only offered a walk-on spot due in part to his slender 160-pound frame. He ultimately chose to attend Davidson College, who had aggressively recruited him from the tenth grade.
Maps Stephen Curry
College career
Freshman season
Before Curry even played in his first game for the Wildcats, head coach Bob McKillop praised him at a Davidson alumni event, "Wait 'til you see Steph Curry. He is something special." In his first collegiate game, against Eastern Michigan, Curry finished with 15 points but committed 13 turnovers. In the next game, against Michigan, he scored 32 points, dished out 4 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds. Curry finished the season leading the Southern Conference in scoring with 21.5 points per game. He was second in the nation among freshmen in scoring, behind only Kevin Durant of Texas. Curry's scoring ability helped the Wildcats to a 29-5 overall record and a Southern Conference regular season title. On March 2, 2007, in the Southern Conference tournament semi-finals against Furman, Curry made his 113th three-pointer of the year, breaking Keydren Clark's NCAA freshman season record for 3-point field goals.
Curry eclipsed the school freshman scoring record with his 502nd point against Chattanooga on February 6, 2007. On March 15, 2007, Davidson marched into the NCAA tournament as a 13 seed set to play Maryland; despite Curry's game-high 30 points, Davidson lost 82-70. At the end of his freshman season, Curry was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, SoCon Tournament MVP, and selected to the SoCon All-tournament team, All-freshman team, and first team All-SoCon. He was also honorable mention in Sports Illustrated's All-Mid-Major. After the season ended, he was selected for the USA team to appear at the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships in which he averaged 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 19.4 minutes, helping team USA to a silver medal finish.
Sophomore season
In his sophomore season in 2007-08, Curry had grown to his adult height of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and again led the Southern Conference in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game while adding 4.7 rebounds per game and 2.8 assists per game. He led the Wildcats to a 26-6 regular season record, and a 20-0 conference record. As a result of Curry's exceptional play, Davidson earned its third straight NCAA Tournament bid.
On March 21, 2008, Davidson matched up with seventh-seeded Gonzaga. Gonzaga led by 11 points early in the second half but Curry went on to score 30 points in the half to push Davidson to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1969, 82-76. Curry ended the game with 40 points while also going 8-for-10 from 3-point range. On March 23, Davidson played second seeded Georgetown in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Georgetown, ranked eighth nationally, entered the game as a heavy favorite after an appearance in the Final Four in 2007. Curry managed just five points in the first half of the game as Davidson trailed by as many as 17 points, but his 25 second-half points led Davidson to a 74-70 comeback victory.
On March 28, 2008, Curry led Davidson to another win, against third-seeded Wisconsin. Curry scored 33 points as Davidson won 73-56 to advance to the Elite 8. Curry joined Clyde Lovellette, Jerry Chambers, and Glenn Robinson as the only college players to score over 30 points in their first four career NCAA tournament games. Curry also tied Darrin Fitzgerald of Butler for the single-season record for most three-pointers with 158. On March 30, 2008, he set the record, against the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks, with his 159th three-pointer of the season. Curry scored 25 points in the game but Davidson lost 57-59, and the Jayhawks went on to win the championship.
Curry finished the season averaging 25.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He was named to the Associated Press' All-America Second Team on March 31, 2008. He also was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region of the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament, becoming the first player from a team not making the Final Four to do so since Juwan Howard of Michigan in 1994. Curry was nominated for an ESPY in the Breakthrough Player of the Year category.
Junior season
After Davidson's loss against Kansas in the NCAA Regional Finals, Curry announced that he would return for his junior year. He stated that he wanted to develop as a point guard, his likely position in the NBA. On November 18, 2008, Curry scored a career-high 44 points in Davidson's 82-78 loss to Oklahoma. He extended a career-long streak by scoring at least 25 points for the seventh straight game. On November 21, Curry registered a career-high 13 assists, to go along with 30 points, in Davidson's 97-70 win over Winthrop. On November 25, against Loyola, Curry was held scoreless as Loyola constantly double-teamed him. It was Curry's only scoreless collegiate game and just his second without double-digit points. He finished 0-for-3 from the field as Davidson won the game 78-48. In Davidson's next game (11 days later), Curry matched his career-high of 44 in a 72-67 win over North Carolina State.
Curry surpassed the 2000-point mark for his career on January 3, 2009, as he scored 21 points against Samford. On February 14, 2009, Curry rolled his ankle in the second half of a win over Furman. The injury caused Curry to miss the February 18 game against The Citadel, the first and only game he missed in his college career. On February 28, 2009, Curry became Davidson's all-time leading scorer with 34 points in a 99-56 win against Georgia Southern. That gave Curry 2,488 points for his career, surpassing previous school leader John Gerdy. Davidson won the 2008-09 Southern Conference regular season championship for the south division, finishing 18-2 in the conference.
In the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament, Davidson played Appalachian State in the quarterfinals and won 84-68. Curry scored 43 points, which is the third most points in Southern Conference tournament history. In the semifinals, against the College of Charleston, Curry had 20 points but Davidson lost 52-59. Despite lobbying from Davidson head coach Bob McKillop and Charleston coach Bobby Cremins, the Wildcats failed to get an NCAA tournament bid. Instead, they received the sixth seed in the 2009 NIT. Davidson played the third seed, South Carolina, on the road in the first round. Curry scored 32 points as the Wildcats beat the Gamecocks 70-63. Davidson then fell 68-80 to the Saint Mary's Gaels in the second round. Curry registered 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in what was his final game for the Wildcats.
In his final season at Davidson, Curry averaged 28.6 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.5 steals. He was the NCAA scoring leader and was named a consensus first team All-American. Curry opted out of his senior year at Davidson, but he stated that he still planned to earn his degree.
College statistics
Professional career
Golden State Warriors (2009-present)
Early seasons (2009-11)
Curry was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. His rookie contract was worth $12.7 million over four years. In his first career game, he scored 14 points and distributed 7 assists. With final season averages of 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, he finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting to the Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
At the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend, Curry won the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge. He finished the season with averages of 18.6 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game and shot a franchise- and league-best 93.4 percent from the free throw line. He was also the recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.
Injury-riddled year (2011-12)
In May 2011, Curry had surgery on his right ankle to repair torn ligaments that were caused by multiple sprains from the previous season. The ankle healed in time for the start of the 2011-12 campaign, but he sprained it again during the preseason and on January 4 in a game against the San Antonio Spurs. On February 22, he strained a tendon in his right foot in a game against the Phoenix Suns. In April, he had another surgery. In total, Curry appeared in only 26 regular season games and his scoring average dipped to 14.7 points per game.
Getting back on track (2012-14)
Prior to the start of the 2012-13 season, Curry agreed to a four-year, $44 million rookie scale contract extension with the Warriors. At the time, many basketball writers considered the move risky for Golden State because of Curry's injury history. Over the course of the year, Curry and backcourt teammate Klay Thompson gained a reputation for their perimeter scoring, earning them the nickname "The Splash Brothers". On February 27, Curry scored a career-high 54 points in a game against the New York Knicks, setting a franchise record for three-pointers made in a game with 11 and falling just one shy of tying the NBA record. In the final game of the season, he set a new league record for three-pointers made in a single season. His final averages were 22.9 points and 6.9 assists per game. The Warriors finished the year with 47 wins, earning them the sixth seed in the Western Conference and a matchup with the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Golden State defeated the Nuggets in six games to advance to the second round, where Curry scored 44 points in a Game 1 loss to the Spurs. The Warriors eventually lost the series in six games.
In December of the 2013-14 season, Curry eclipsed Jason Richardson as the franchise's leader in career three-pointers. In February, he made his first All-Star appearance, starting for the West. Behind averages of 24 points and 8.5 assists per game, he was selected to his first All-NBA Team. Seeded sixth for the second consecutive year, the Warriors drew the Los Angeles Clippers to begin the postseason. In Game 4, Curry scored 33 points, including a then playoff career-high seven three-pointers, in a winning effort. Golden State went on to lose the series in seven games.
NBA Championship and MVP (2014-15)
Prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, the Warriors hired former NBA player and general manager Steve Kerr as their new head coach. Kerr implemented significant changes to Golden State's schemes, including playing at a faster pace and giving Curry more freedom to shoot, helping the team evolve into a title contender. On February 4, Curry scored a season-high 51 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. He was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game and won the Three-Point Contest on All-Star Saturday night. On April 9, he broke his own league record for three-pointers made in a season during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Warriors finished the year with 67 wins and Curry was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player after posting averages of 23.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2 steals per game. Over the course of the season, he sat out 17 fourth quarters due to Golden State's wide margins of victory.
In Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies, Curry became the first player in league history to register six three-pointers and six steals in a game. In Game 6, he made a playoff career-high eight three-pointers en route to a series-clinching victory. In Game 3 of the Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets, he broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single postseason. The Warriors went on to defeat the Rockets to earn a Finals matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Curry struggled to start the series, converting on only 22 percent of his field goals in Game 2. In Game 5, he scored 37 points, and in Game 6, Golden State closed out the series to win their first championship in 40 years. For the Finals, Curry averaged 26 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Unanimous MVP (2015-16)
On October 27, 2015, Curry scored 40 points (including a career-high 24 points in the first quarter) in the Warriors' season opening win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the most points scored by a reigning MVP in an opener since 1972 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 41 for the Milwaukee Bucks. In addition, Curry started his seventh straight season opener, joining Jeff Mullins, and Chris Mullin as the only Warriors' players since 1962 to do so. Two games later on October 31, also against the Pelicans, Curry scored 53 points on 17-of-27 shooting to lead the Warriors to a 134-120 win. Curry became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989-90 to score 118 points in the first three games of a season. On November 24, he scored 24 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, as the Warriors set the record for best start in NBA history at 16-0. The Warriors improved to 24-0 on December 11 with a double overtime win over the Boston Celtics, before finally having their streak broken the following day against the Milwaukee Bucks.
On December 28, Curry recorded his sixth career triple-double with 23 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a 122-103 win over the Sacramento Kings. During the game against the Kings, Curry was guarded by his brother Seth for the first time in their NBA careers. On January 22, he recorded his second triple-double of the season and seventh of his career with 39 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 122-110 win over the Indiana Pacers. He made eight three-pointers in the game to reach 200 for the season, becoming the first player in NBA history to make 200 three-pointers in four straight seasons. On February 3, he made 11 three-pointers (including seven in the first quarter) and scored 51 points (including a career-high 36 points in the first half) to lead the Warriors past the Washington Wizards 134-121. His 51 points tied Gilbert Arenas and Michael Jordan for the Verizon Center record. During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, Curry competed in his third straight All-Star game for the West, and competed in the Three-Point Shootout, where he lost in the final round to teammate Klay Thompson. At 48-4, the Warriors entered the All-Star break with the best record through 52 games in NBA history, one win better than the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers.
On February 25, Curry made 10 three-pointers and scored 51 points to lead the Warriors past the Orlando Magic 130-114. Curry topped 50 points for the third time in 2015-16, the first player to do it that many times since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade did so in 2008-09. Curry also surpassed Kyle Korver's mark of 127 straight games with a three-pointer. In the following game two days later, the Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime thanks to a Curry three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining. Curry finished with 46 points as his winning shot was his 12th three-pointer, tying the NBA single-game record (with Kobe Bryant and Donyell Marshall). He also broke his own NBA record for threes in a season, leaving the new mark at 288. On March 7, in a win over the Orlando Magic, Curry scored 41 points and became the first player in NBA history to make 300 three-pointers in a season. On April 1, Curry missed a three-pointer to tie the game against the Boston Celtics with 5.3 seconds left, as the Warriors suffered their first home defeat since January 27, 2015, losing 109-106 to the Celtics to snap an NBA-record 54-game winning streak in the regular season at Oracle Arena. On April 7, Curry scored 27 points to help the Warriors become the second team in NBA history to win 70 games in a season with a 112-101 win over the San Antonio Spurs. In the Warriors' regular season finale on April 13 against the Memphis Grizzlies, Curry achieved another shooting milestone, becoming the first player to make 400 three-pointers in a season by knocking down 10 from long range on his way to 46 points and 402 total three-pointers. With a 125-104 win over the Grizzlies, the Warriors became the first 73-win team in NBA history, surpassing the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' 72-10 record to finish the 2015-16 season with just nine losses. With the conclusion of the regular season, Curry became the seventh player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club, representing the shooting percentages from the field (.504), beyond the arc (.454), and the free-throw line (.908).
As the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Warriors faced the eighth-seeded Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. In a Game 1 win, Curry scored 24 first-half points before an ankle injury ruled him out for the rest of the game. He subsequently missed Games 2 and 3 of the series, which the Warriors split for a 2-1 lead. Curry returned in Game 4, but sprained his right knee on the final play of the second quarter. He did not play in the second half, but the Warriors won 121-94. He was diagnosed with a sprained right medial collateral ligament (MCL) and was ruled out for two weeks. Without Curry, the Warriors defeated the Rockets in Game 5 to move on to the second round, where they faced the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry missed the first three games of the series, as the Warriors led 2-1 after Game 3. Curry returned to action in Game 4, coming off the bench to record 40 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in a 132-125 overtime win. Seventeen of those points came in the extra period, an NBA record for points scored by an individual in overtime. A day after returning from injury, Curry was named the league's first ever unanimous MVP, becoming the 11th player in NBA history to win the award in consecutive seasons and the first guard to do so since Steve Nash in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Curry led the Warriors to a 4-1 victory over the Trail Blazers, as they moved on to the Western Conference Finals to face the Oklahoma City Thunder. After going down 3-1, he helped the Warriors rally to win the series 4-3 and advance to their second straight NBA Finals. In the Finals, Curry's play relative to his regular season performance remained inconsistent, as it had been since he returned from injury against Portland. Still, he broke Danny Green's record of 27 three-pointers made in a Finals. However, the Warriors, despite being up 3-1 in the series, were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games and became the first team in NBA Finals history to lose a series after leading 3-1. In the Game 7 loss, Curry scored 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
Second NBA Championship (2016-17)
After dropping their season opener at home to the San Antonio Spurs on October 25, the Warriors levelled their record at 1-1 with a 122-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans three days later. Curry hit four three-pointers against the Pelicans to reach 1,600 for his career, becoming the 19th player to do so, as well as the fastest to reach the mark. On November 4, 2016, Curry's NBA-record streak of 157 straight games with at least one made three-pointer was snapped during the Warriors' 117-97 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers after he went 0-of-10 from three-point range. He had hit a three-pointer in every regular-season game since November 11, 2014. Three days later, he hit 13 three-pointers against New Orleans, setting an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a regular-season game. Curry shot 16-of-26 overall against the Pelicans for his first 40-point game of the season, finishing with 46 in a 116-106 win. On December 11, Curry hit two three-pointers against the Minnesota Timberwolves to pass Steve Nash for 17th on the NBA's career three-pointers list. With 14 points against the Dallas Mavericks on December 30, Curry (11,903) passed Purvis Short (11,894) for seventh place on the Warriors' all-time scoring list. In a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on January 6, 2017, Curry had his second 40-point game of the season and reached the 12,000-point threshold, becoming the seventh player in Warriors history to score 12,000 career points. Three days later, Curry was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, January 2 through Sunday, January 8. It marked his eighth career Player of the Week honor, more than any other player in franchise history. On January 19, Curry was named a starter on the Western Conference All-Star team for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. On January 28, he scored 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter of the Warriors' 144-98 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He also had nine three-pointers against the Clippers. On February 1, he hit 11 three-pointers and scored 39 points in a 126-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets. The following day, he was named Co-Western Conference Player of the Month for January alongside teammate Kevin Durant and hit his 200th three-pointer of the season in the Warriors' 133-120 win over the Clippers, making him the first player in NBA history to have 200 or more three-pointers in five consecutive seasons. On March 5, he scored 31 points and moved into the top 10 on the NBA's career three-point list in a 112-105 win over the New York Knicks. Curry hit five three-pointers, passing Chauncey Billups for 10th place, and added eight rebounds and six assists. On April 2, Curry hit nine three-pointers and scored 42 points in a 139-115 win over the Washington Wizards. Three days later, he had another 42-point effort in a 120-111 win over the Phoenix Suns, helping the Warriors clinch the best record in the Western Conference for the third straight season.
On April 24, Curry scored 37 points in Game 4 to help the Warriors sweep their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers and advance to the conference semifinals. On May 8, he scored 30 points in Game 4 to help the Warriors sweep their second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz and advance to the Western Conference Finals. In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs on May 14, Curry scored 40 points and hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining to help the Warriors rally from a 25-point deficit to win 113-111; the Warriors overcame their largest halftime deficit ever in the postseason at 20 points. In a 120-108 Game 3 win, Curry scored 21 points and became the franchise leader in postseason points, passing Rick Barry. They went up 3-0 in the series, becoming the third team in NBA history to win their first 11 playoff games. His 36 points in Game 4 led to a 129-115 victory that saw the Warriors advance to the NBA Finals for a third straight year while becoming the first team in league history to start the playoffs 12-0. In Game 2 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Curry recorded his first career postseason triple-double with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds to help the Warriors go up 2-0 in the series with a 132-113 win. Curry helped the Warriors clinch the series and the championship in Game 5 with 34 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, as Golden State claimed its second title in three years.
2017-18 season
On July 1, 2017, Curry agreed to a five-year, $201 million extension with the Warriors, becoming the first NBA player to sign a supermax contract worth over $200 million. He officially signed the contract on July 25. On October 21, in the Warriors' third game of the season, Curry was ejected after throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of a referee. The Warriors lost the game 111-101 to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Curry received a $50,000 fine, the maximum amount the NBA can fine players for. On November 19, he had season highs with 39 points and 11 rebounds in a 118-111 win over the Brooklyn Nets. He also had seven assists, committed seven turnovers, and fouled out of the game with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. On December 1, he scored 23 points and passed Jason Kidd for eighth place on the career three-pointers made list in a 133-112 win over the Orlando Magic. On December 4, in a 125-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Curry hit five three-pointers to become the fastest NBA player to achieve the milestone of 2,000 career three-pointers, achieving that mark in just 597 games, 227 less than the previous fastest player to achieve that mark, Ray Allen. In that same game, Curry twisted his right ankle, the same ankle that had previously been surgically repaired, and was forced to exit the game early. Though x-rays of the injury turned out negative, and an MRI found no structural damage, Curry was ruled out for at least two weeks. He returned to action on December 30 after missing 11 games, scoring 38 points with a season-high 10 3-pointers in a 141-128 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Curry shot 13 for 17 and 10 of 13 from deep in 26 minutes for his ninth 30-point game of the season. It also marked Curry's ninth career game with 10 or more 3s, the most by any player in NBA history. On January 6, in a 121-105 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Curry scored a season-high 45 points without playing the fourth quarter.
National team career
Curry's first experience with the United States national team came at the 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, where he helped Team USA capture the silver medal. In 2010, he was selected to the senior squad, playing limited minutes at the 2010 FIBA World Championship (known later as FIBA Basketball World Cup) as the United States won the gold medal in an undefeated tournament. In 2014, he took on a larger role with the team, helping them to another undefeated tournament at the 2014 World Cup and scoring 10 points in the final game. On June 6, 2016, Curry withdrew from consideration for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, citing ankle and knee ailments as the major reason behind the decision.
Player profile
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.91 m) and weighing 190 pounds (86 kg), Curry plays almost exclusively at the point guard position and has career averages of 22.9 points, 6.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He has been selected to four All-NBA Teams and voted league MVP twice.
Curry is considered to be an important leader within the Warriors organization; he is known for his humility and work ethic. Curry is said to have played a significant role in the recruitment of former MVP Kevin Durant to the Warriors.
Curry is known for his elite shooting ability; he is able to score in great volume from underneath the rim all the way to near half-court. He is considered by many to be among the greatest scorers in NBA history. Using an unorthodox jump shot, he is able to get the ball out of his hands in under half a second by releasing it on the way up, adding extra arc to his shot and making it difficult to block. In addition to his quick release, he puts extra pressure on defenses with his long range, leading the NBA in field goals made from beyond 28 feet in 2016. As of December 2017, he ranks fourth in NBA history in career three-point field goal percentage and holds four of the top five seasons in terms of total three-pointers made. He is also the fastest player in league history to make 2,000 career three-pointers, doing so in 227 fewer games than the previous record-holder. In an article for FiveThirtyEight, Benjamin Morris emphasized Curry's importance in the NBA's increasing use of the three-point shot, writing, "Curry is perhaps the figurehead in the NBA's Three-Point Revolution."
Some experts have commented that Curry's elite scoring ability creates a "gravity" effect, forcing opposing defenders to double-team him even when he doesn't have the ball, which creates mismatches that his teammates are able to exploit.
Curry is also known as a clutch scorer, often shooting at his best in high-pressure moments, and taking game-winning shots.
Curry is an exceptional free throw shooter, with a career free throw average of over 90% through December 2017, the third highest in NBA history. He is currently the Warriors' all-time free-throw leader, and led the NBA in free throw shooting average in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
Though capable stealing the ball, having led the league in steals for the 2015-16 season, Curry is not considered to be an elite defender, and his teammates frequently take the more difficult defensive assignments.
Personal life
On July 30, 2011, Curry married longtime girlfriend and Toronto native Ayesha Alexander in Charlotte. Together, they have two daughters, Riley (b. 2012) and Ryan (b. 2015). They currently reside in Alamo, California. Curry's younger brother, Seth, is also a professional basketball player, and his younger sister, Sydel, plays volleyball at Elon University.
Curry has been outspoken about his Christian faith. Curry spoke about his faith during his MVP speech by saying, "People should know who I represent and why I am who I am, and that's because of my Lord and Savior." He also said the reason that he pounds his chest and points up is that he has a "heart for God" and as a reminder that he plays for God. On some of his "Curry One" basketball shoes, there is a lace loop scripted "4:13". It is a reference to the Bible verse Philippians 4:13, which reads "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Curry has a tattoo of First Corinthians, 13:8 in Hebrew on his wrist ("Love never fails..."). Curry is also an investor in Active Faith, a Christian sports apparel brand.
During the 1992 All-Star Weekend, Curry's father entrusted him to Biserka Petrovi?, mother of future Hall of Fame player Dra?en Petrovi?, while Dell competed in the Three-Point Contest. Following the 2015 NBA Finals, Curry gave Biserka one of his Finals-worn jerseys, which will reportedly be added to the collection of the Dra?en Petrovi? Memorial Center, a museum to the late player in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.
On September 22, 2017, Curry tweeted that he did not want to visit the White House. The next day, President Donald Trump tweeted that since Curry was "hesitating" he was no longer welcome at the White House.
Charity
In 2012, Curry started donating three insecticide-treated mosquito nets for every three-pointer he made to the United Nations Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign to combat malaria. He was first introduced to the malaria cause by Davidson teammate Bryant Barr when they were both in school. Curry visited the White House in 2015 and delivered a five-minute speech to dignitaries as part of President Barack Obama's launch of his President's Malaria Initiative strategy for 2015-2020.
In 2015, Curry wore sneakers that had Deah Shaddy Barakat's name on them (one of the victims of the 2015 Chapel Hill shooting). According to his sister Suzanne, Deah Barakat was known for his "love for basketball and anything Steph Curry." Deah's number for his intramural basketball team at North Carolina State University was Curry's No. 30 and he posed for a photo that was similar to one that Curry did for GQ. Curry said that Barakat's family "did a great job of reaching out to me and making me aware of the details of his life and personality [...] It was really kind of a cool deal to be able to use the platform yesterday to honor Deah and his family [...] I'm going to send them the shoes I wore yesterday. And hopefully they know that I've been thinking about them." Also in 2015, after winning the MVP award following his impressive season, Curry donated his prize vehicle--a 2016 Kia Sorento--to the East Oakland Youth Development Center, a local non-profit organization located in the backyard of Oracle Arena.
Public image
Curry is currently one of the most successful players in the NBA, and he has also become an international celebrity, on par with four-time MVP LeBron James. His flashy play and penchant for coming up big in the clutch have made him a fan favorite, and his smaller physique is said to have made his success seem more attainable for younger fans of the NBA. Curry's jersey was the top seller in the NBA for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 NBA seasons. ESPN has ranked Curry among the most famous international athletes, while Forbes has ranked him among the world's highest-paid celebrities for his endorsements.
Business interests
Curry is widely known for his partnership with Under Armour, where he is considered to be the "face of their footwear line". Originally signed to Nike, Curry joined with Under Armour in the 2013 offseason. As Curry became MVP and one of the most popular athletes in the world, sales of his shoes have become a major factor for the brand, with stock prices rising and falling based on the success of the Curry shoe line.
On September 20, 2017, it was announced that Curry had signed an exclusive autograph contract with Steiner Sports Memorabilia. The full product line will include: hand-signed official basketballs and jerseys, autographed photographs of epic moments, flashy framed signs and wall-art, game-used memorabilia, and limited-edition pieces.
Golf
Curry is an avid golfer; he played golf in high school, and frequently plays golf with teammate Andre Iguodala. A 5-handicap golfer, Curry participates in celebrity golf tournaments, and has played golf alongside Barack Obama. In August 2017, Curry competed in the Ellie Mae Classic on an unrestricted sponsor exemption. Though he missed the first cut, he scored 4-over-74 for both days he participated, surpassing most expectations for an amateur competing in the pro event.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Awards and honors
NBA
- 2× NBA champion: 2015, 2017
- 2× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2015, 2016
- 4× NBA All-Star: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- 2× All-NBA First Team: 2015, 2016
- 2× All-NBA Second Team: 2014, 2017
- NBA scoring leader: 2016
- 5× NBA three-point field goals leader: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- 3× NBA free-throw percentage leader: 2011, 2015, 2016
- NBA steals leader: 2016
- NBA Skills Challenge champion: 2011
- NBA regular season record for made three-pointers (402)
- NBA record for most consecutive regular season games with a made three-pointer (157)
- NBA record for most consecutive playoff games with a made three-pointer (75)
- NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single playoffs (98 - tied with Klay Thompson)
- NBA record for most three-pointers made in a game (13)
- NBA record for most points scored in an overtime period (17)
- Warriors franchise leader in three-point field goals made
College
- 2× SoCon Player of the Year (2008-2009)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2009)
- Consensus second-team All-American (2008)
- 2× First-team All-SoCon (2008-2009)
- 2× SoCon Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2007-2008)
- 3× SoCon first-team All-Tournament (2007-2009)
- SoCon Freshman of the Year (2007)
- SoCon All-Freshmen Team (2007)
NCAA records
- NCAA Division I scoring leader (2009)
- Single-season NCAA 3-point field goals (162, 2007-08)
- Single-season NCAA freshman 3-point field goals (122, 2006-07)
Davidson College records
- All-time leading scorer in Davidson College history (2,635)
- All-time Davidson College leader in 3-point field-goals made (414)
- All-time Davidson College leader in 30-point games (30)
- All-time Davidson College leader in 40-point games (6)
- Single-season Davidson College points (974, 2008-09)
- Single-season Davidson College steals (86, 2008-09)
- Single-season Davidson College freshman points (730, 2006-07)
Other
- Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports (2011)
- ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player (2015)
- BET Award for Sportsman of the Year (2015)
- AP Male Athlete of the Year (2015)
- 2016 ESPY Award Nominee for Best Record-Breaking Performance
See also
- List of NBA season leaders in three-point field goals
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association annual free throw percentage leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season scoring leaders
- NBA regular season records
Notes
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com, or Basketball-Reference.com
- Stephen Curry at davidsonwildcats.com
Source of article : Wikipedia
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