Stephen Curry’s journey in professional basketball resembles a tale from a Hollywood film. Although he is the son of an ex-NBA player, his rise to success in the NBA was not immediate due to injuries. However, he eventually triumphed over those obstacles, becoming the first player in league history to earn a unanimous MVP award and establishing himself as the greatest three-point shooter.
Every remarkable story has some hint of what’s to come, and Curry’s came during his college years. While playing for Davidson College, a mid-major institution, his significant contributions to the Wildcats’ surprising success in the 2008 NCAA Tournament catapulted him into the spotlight. The 6-foot-2 guard attracted the attention of numerous influential figures, including LeBron James.
Normally, the presence of such a major NBA star would intimidate a young athlete, but Curry’s play indicated that he felt no such pressure.
Curry recounted on 360 With Speedy: “I went off, and, obviously, they would cut to him every time I hit a bucket,” “He was doing the animated celebrations and all that.”
“[LeBron] came to that game that afternoon and sat courtside. I dropped 40 something. That’s when I first met him,”
“I came back to the game that night, and after the game, [James] came out of the locker room with a jersey. It said, ‘The king of basketball in North Carolina,’”
In fact, Curry’s performance exceeded what he had achieved in the Sweet 16 game. It was such an impressive display that James couldn’t resist the chance to meet Curry. Later that evening, Curry reciprocated by watching James play and, afterward, James presented him with a gesture of respect.
