"He was the measure of a 12-year-old basketball player in Charlotte" - Stephen Curry revealed the kid who made him the basketball player he is today
Death, taxes, and Stephen Curry drilling a pull-up 3-pointer are certain things in this world.
The sight of the “Baby-Faced Assassin” sinking a shot from beyond the arc is a nightmare for defenses. As the greatest shooter of all time, No. 30 has spent virtually his entire life honing his craft since he was a kid.
Outmatched by his peer
Steph grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, when his dad, Dell Curry, played for the Charlotte Hornets. After moving around, the family settled in Charlotte when Dell retired and Steph enrolled at a high school.
During this period, he encountered another kid who caught a young Curry’s eye due to his stature and build. And far from his usual dominant self today, this 12-year-old kid owned him on the court.
“CJ was a monster,” Curry said of a kid named CJ Young. “He was a physical specimen who had speed, athleticism, and hand-eye coordination. He was the measure of a 12-year-old basketball player in Charlotte. I was clearly overmatched.”
Young was the kind of talent that never bloomed. After high school, his life took a turn when he collapsed after a workout session. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which ended his basketball career before it even began. However, Curry never forgets to credit Young for shaping him into a dominant and physical athlete.
Credits for success
Unlike Young, Steph wasn’t a big player. Even at a young age, he still didn’t have the build of a basketball player. Playing alongside CJ gave him the feeling of how professional basketball would feel. He would often body-check Curry and constantly attack his shooting arm to render his shooting useless. He recalls that Steph would retaliate by elbowing him in the ribs.
As the son of a great shooter, Curry had to improvise because of his lack of height, and he worked tirelessly to improve his shots.
“I was a zone-buster. I was so small and skinny; that was my only role. I knew I could do a bit more, so I was trying to push myself,” expressed the Golden State Warriors star.
Due to his size, the greatest shooter ever was overlooked by major programs, including Virginia Tech — where his father went — and Duke. He later committed to Davidson College.
And the rest was history. In three years with the Wildcats, the lottery pick set career scoring records for the program, was a consensus All-American, a two-time Conference Player of the Year, and also took the program to the Elite Eight in his second year, among many other accolades.
All those doubts about Steph’s size were defeated with all he achieved at college and what he later achieved in his professional career; his size didn’t matter anymore.
