On his way to Foothill College Friday to appear at the Golden State Warriors Basketball Camp, point guard Stephen Curry made sure to call his dad and wish him a happy birthday. The two reminisced about how they spent Dell Curry’s 45th the year before.
“This time last year actually we were at the draft,” Curry said in an exclusive interview with the Town Crier. “So we have great memories of his birthday and all that stuff.”
Father and son were in New York City, where the Warriors selected Curry seventh in the NBA Draft the night before. He was officially a pro basketball player – just like his father once was.
A year later, Curry looks like the steal of the draft. The runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year, Curry averaged 17.5 points and 5.9 assists per game. He was the only rookie in league history to shoot at least 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.
The 6-foot-3 Curry credits his dad for making him the player that he is. When a youngster at the Warriors camp asked him who is basketball idol is, Curry quickly answered, “My dad.”
Dell spent 16 years in the NBA, and Stephen (pronounced Stef-en) was his biggest fan. For Curry, speaking to the 75 campers in Los Altos Hills Friday triggered memories of when his father made similar appearances while with the Charlotte Hornets.
“I used to follow my dad around – for as long as I can remember, really,” Curry said. “He used to go to all the summer camps and I’d follow him – me and my brother.”
In addressing the 7- to 15-year-olds at the weeklong camp, Curry first advised them to focus more on their classes than nifty passes.
“School is so important,” he said. “Make sure that’s your first priority.”
Curry, of course, got around to talking hoops, then fielded a dozen questions from inquisitive campers. Yes, he wants to stay with the Warriors. Yes, he can dunk. And the most difficult players for him to defend are teammate Monta Ellis, New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Utah’s Deron Williams.
This marked Curry’s first appearance at a Warriors Basketball Camp – the team holds camps throughout the Bay Area in the summer – and it likely won’t be his last.
“It’s the only one I’ve scheduled so far, but I’ll probably pop into one or two more and say hi to the kids,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s always nice for the campers to come in here for a week and work hard and meet some of the players. They come out to our games all year, and it’s an opportunity to reach out to the people who support you.”
Curry didn’t lack supporters his rookie year, becoming a fan favorite by midseason. He spent the All-Star break in Dallas, competing in the Rookie Challenge and 3-point contest.
“Being part of the whole all-star experience was probably the highlight of the year on a personal level,” he said. “That and finishing the year out very strong in Portland.”
Curry torched the Trailblazers for 42 points – a season high.
Putting the ball in the basket has never been a problem for the Charlotte native, who as a junior at Davidson College led the nation in scoring (averaging 28.6 points). He left school at the end of the year as Davidson’s all-time leading scorer.
Curry said becoming a good shooter is more about hard work than perfect form.
“There are a hundred different shooting forms in the NBA, and you have to figure out which one works for you and do it with repetition,” he said. “When you’re practicing, do it at game speed. A lot of people put up a lot of shots but they’re kind of walking around the court and shooting unrealistic shots. You have to shoot like you’re going to shoot in a game.”
Curry’s stellar shooting at Charlotte Christian School – where he played football, baseball and golf early on – helped him become the top all-time scorer there, yet he wasn’t highly recruited by colleges.
“My dream was to play in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), but the coaches said I was too small and not good enough and took a pass on me,” Curry said. “I worked extremely hard – not to prove the coaches wrong, but to prove I could play on any level.”
Curry next hopes to play on the international level. Last month he was named to USA Basketball’s 2010-12 Men’s National Team and will participate in a training camp July 19-24 in Las Vegas to help determine the final roster for this year’s USA World Championship Team.
“I’m very excited,” Curry said. “It’s an opportunity to play with the best in our country and the best in the league. I’m going to work hard to make the team and enjoy the experience.”
Contact Pete Borello at [email protected].
