"I knew I could shoot; I knew I was skilled" Stephen Curry on what kept him going when he wasn't getting college offers as a 3-star recruit
For over a decade now, Stephen Curry has helped to change the course of the NBA with his elite shooting from anywhere on the court. However, things weren't always like that, as he was only a three-star recruit back in college.
Curry will go down as one of the greatest shooters the league has ever seen, connecting with 43% of threes attempted (8.6 per game) over his twelve-year career. However, the Golden State Warriors dynasty the 33-year-old has spearheaded may not have happened had he not been given the platform to perform at Davidson College.
Despite starring in high school and being named All-Conference and All-State, Curry was only rated as a three-star recruit prior to college, and didn't receive the kind of offers he had hoped for. At that point, there were question marks about whether he could make it to the NBA due to his slender build.
Speaking about his Underrated Tour beginning, which showcases 3-star high school recruits, Stephen Curry discussed how he was able to stay focused in his ambition to make it to the league with fellow NBA star Carmelo Anthony on the latter's show. 'What's in your glass?'
'I was a late bloomer. I knew I could shoot, I knew I was skilled, but I didn't pass the eye test," said Curry. "A lot of it was just being real with myself, not doubting myself, but being real. That whole time I wanted to be an ACC player... I wanted to be on that level, but I had to be real; I had to think that might not be in the bag for me.'
Stephen Curry uses his Underrated Tour to help showcase 3-star recruits
Even after Stephen Curry blitzed the Southern Conference with Davidson College, averaging over 25 points per game in his three seasons,
NBA coaches were, however, worried about his slender build and if he could effectively transfer his skills to the league. Prior to being drafted seventh in the 2009 class, Curry had ended his college career with an ankle injury that would re-emerge a few years later in the 2011-12 season.
Scouts were also divided about what sort of role he could play: whether it would be as an explosive scorer off the bench or just a steady combo guard who would put up consistent numbers.
Furthermore, they also questioned his shot selection. Of course, those reports seem ludicrous now, with the veteran coming off the back of his best scoring year, putting up 32 points per game in the 2020-21 NBA campaign.
Having dealt with being written off in the past and going on to massively exceed expectations, Curry is now helping basketball players in his Underrated Tour who are 3-star recruits across the country.
Each stop of the tour showcases 75 boys and 75 girls on a national platform, with the top 30 invited back for the second day's events. They are able to compete against one another, and also take part in the kind of skills training Stephen Curry does on a daily basis with his trainer, Brandon Payne.
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