Ayesha Curry publicly acknowledged that it was “very disrespectful” and “rude” for her to have suggested in the past that athletes like her husband, NBA superstar Stephen Curry, were not her type — and addressed the long-running scrutiny over remarks in which she said she once craved attention from other men.
The admission came during an episode of the “IMO” podcast hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, released Wednesday. Ayesha and Stephen Curry, who have been married for 15 years and share four children, appeared together to discuss their high-school romance and life in the spotlight.
“I had very textbook, maybe, misconceptions” of athletes, Ayesha Curry said, recalling stereotypes she picked up as a self-described “theater nerd” in high school. She explained that a long-circulated comment about having a “no athlete rule” stemmed from insecurity rather than a lack of attraction to her future husband.
“People for some reason think I’ve said in the past that he wasn’t my type, but what I was saying was that I didn’t think I was his type because this was Mr. Cool,” she told Stephen Curry on the podcast. “So I kind of sold myself short in thinking there’s no way, he must just like me as a friend.”
Turning directly to her husband, she added: “But did I think you were cute? Absolutely.” She called the earlier framing of her comments “very disrespectful on my part.”
The remarks come years after Ayesha Curry drew widespread online criticism for a 2020 appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk,” in which she said she sometimes felt she received “zero” male attention while her husband was surrounded by fans. At the time she described feeling insecure because “I have nothing” compared with the spotlight on Stephen Curry, comments that fueled speculation about their marriage.
Social media users have frequently linked the two sets of comments as examples of perceived disrespect toward the two-time NBA champion. On the podcast, Ayesha did not directly revisit the attention-seeking remarks, but her apology for the “type” comments appeared to address the broader narrative that has followed the couple.
Stephen Curry sat beside his wife during the discussion and did not interject, as the pair laughed and reflected on how their teenage friendship blossomed into marriage. Ayesha said she had initially kept “the door open” after realizing her feelings, and expressed relief that she wasn’t permanently friend-zoned.
The Currys, both 37 and 38 respectively, have long presented a united front, frequently posting about family life on social media. Ayesha has built her own career as the founder of the lifestyle brand Sweet July and as a cookbook author.
The podcast appearance marks the latest chapter in the couple’s very public relationship, which began when they met as teenagers in Charlotte, N.C. Stephen Curry was already showing signs of the sharpshooting prowess that would make him one of the NBA’s all-time greats, while Ayesha navigated her own path outside the athletic world.
Neither Ayesha Curry nor representatives for the couple immediately responded to requests for further comment Friday. The full “IMO” episode is available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.
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