Before Stephen Curry became a household name, before he shattered records and forced the entire NBA to rethink its strategies, he was just another kid with a dream—a dream that seemed almost impossible. Unlike the towering giants who dominated basketball, Curry was small, skinny, and constantly doubted. Scouts, coaches, and analysts all agreed: he was talented, but he would never make it in the NBA.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Born into the Game
Stephen Curry was born on March 14, 1988, into a basketball family. His father, Dell Curry, was a sharpshooter in the NBA, known for his deadly three-point accuracy. Unlike most kids, Curry didn’t just watch NBA games—he lived them.
As a child, he followed his father to games, sat courtside during warm-ups, and practiced shooting in professional arenas. Basketball wasn’t just a sport; it was his entire world.
But there was one problem: he was small.
Even as a teenager, Curry was undersized compared to his peers. While other young players bulked up and grew taller, he remained scrawny and physically weak. This made him an easy target for defenders who could outmuscle and outjump him.
High School Struggles: Overlooked and Underrated
By the time Curry reached high school, it was clear he had inherited his father’s shooting ability. He could hit three-pointers effortlessly, but there was a problem—his shooting form was flawed.
Instead of releasing the ball from above his head like most shooters, Curry shot from his waist. This was fine when playing against smaller defenders, but against stronger, taller players, his shot kept getting blocked.
His father, Dell, stepped in.
If you want to make it to the next level, you need to change your shot.
And so, for an entire summer, Curry relearned how to shoot. Every day, he worked on refining his mechanics, moving his release point higher, making his shot quicker and more difficult to block. It was frustrating, exhausting, and at times discouraging. But he stuck with it.
When the season started, he was a different player.
His shooting became faster, smoother, and more accurate. He could now shoot over defenders, and suddenly, his greatest weakness turned into his biggest strength.
But that wasn’t enough.
Despite his skill, Curry wasn’t a highly ranked recruit. Big colleges ignored him. Scouts doubted his ability to play at a high level. He wasn’t tall enough, strong enough, or athletic enough.
Duke? North Carolina? Kentucky? None of them called.
Davidson College: The Only Chance
Only one school saw his potential—Davidson College, a small program with no real history of basketball success.
Their coach, Bob McKillop, believed in Curry when no one else did.
We are going to build our entire team around you.
Curry had no other options. So, he took the offer.
Many saw it as a dead-end move. Davidson wasn’t a powerhouse, and most people thought Curry would fade into obscurity.
But instead, this was the beginning of something special.
A Star is Born
From the moment he stepped onto the college court, Curry made one thing clear: he was different.
As a freshman, he averaged 21.5 points per game, leading all first-year players in the country. He wasn’t just good—he was unstoppable.
By his sophomore year, he had already put Davidson on the national map.
But then came the defining moment—the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
The Underdog’s Cinderella Run
Davidson wasn’t supposed to go far. They were a small school with no history of winning big games.
Then, Curry happened.
Game after game, he dominated opponents far bigger, stronger, and more athletic than him. He led Davidson past Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin, all while putting up insane numbers:
- 40 points vs. Gonzaga
- 30 points vs. Georgetown
- 33 points vs. Wisconsin
Davidson, a team no one expected to win a single game, made it all the way to the Elite Eight—one step away from the Final Four.
Curry became a national sensation. NBA scouts finally took notice. The kid they once ignored was now the hottest name in college basketball.
Even NBA superstar LeBron James showed up to watch him play, recognizing the potential of someone who was about to change the game forever.
Falling Short, but Rising Higher
Davidson’s magical run ended in the Elite Eight when they lost to Kansas by just two points. A single shot—a three-pointer—could have won them the game.
Curry took the final shot. He missed.
It was a heartbreaking loss, but it didn’t matter. The world had already seen what he was capable of.
More importantly, he had proven to himself that he belonged among the best.
The Decision: Entering the NBA Draft
By the end of his junior year, Curry had a choice to make—stay at Davidson for one more year or enter the 2009 NBA Draft.
His parents were divided. His mother wanted him to finish college, but his father, having played in the NBA himself, knew that the opportunity wouldn’t wait forever.
Ultimately, Curry decided to take the leap.
He wasn’t the top pick. He wasn’t even in the top five. But when the Golden State Warriors selected him with the 7th overall pick, they unknowingly set the stage for a revolution.
What’s Next?
In Part 3, we’ll dive into Curry’s early years in the NBA—his struggles with injuries, doubts from critics, and the moment he transformed into a legend. The road to greatness wasn’t easy, but Curry was never one to back down from a challenge.