Stephen Curry Says the NBA Finals 'Is No Comparison' to how Nervous he was for Golfing Debut
Stephen Curry will go down in history as arguably the greatest shooter to have ever lived. He is widely credited with revolutionizing the game of basketball by inspiring teams to regularly utilize the three-point shot. After getting drafted as the 7th overall pick in 2009 by the Golden State Warriors, Curry has won two regular-season MVPs and three NBA titles since and is the only ever unanimous MVP in league history.
However, not many people are aware of Curry's interest in another sport. After dedicating his time to the basketball court, Curry finds himself on the golf course looking to tee up. Golf analysts claim he has a great golf swing and if he had the luxury of giving more time to the sport, he could play professionally.
Will Gray, a golf writer for NBC Sports who watched Curry play in a pro-am event last year said,
"If basketball didn't exist and he was able to go a full 12 months and just focus on golf, I think he could be competitive on a weekly basis in the pro golf circuit...His game has very few holes, and he's absolutely legit."
Stephen Curry claims he was more nervous during his pro-golf debut than in the NBA Finals
Stephen Curry's obsession with golf dates back to his youth when he used to accompany his father, Dell Curry, to golf courses. He used to practice a golf swing occasionally and fell in love with the sport. He has been playing golf since years and often plays with former US President Barack Obama.
Curry talks about his love for golf,
"There was always that question...If I had to put as much time into golf as I did basketball, could I have made it? We'll never know, but it's always competed in terms of my attention...I got bit by the bug pretty early and became obsessed...I'd find myself on the basketball court sometimes thinking about my next round. I kind of still do that in the league, which is kind of weird"
Despite being the Golden State Warriors' superstar point guard and playing in almost a 100 games a year, Curry manages to find time to play golf. He has appeared in professional golf tournaments before and he talks about how he felt during his first-ever appearance.
"I've played in NBA Finals, I've played in world championships and played with Team USA...I've played in a lot of big games. There is no comparison to how nervous I was on the first tee, standing there with other professionals, trying to compete."
Several golf analysts have called Curry's swing graceful and smooth.
Stephen Curry will play in a high-profile golf match on Friday
On Friday, Stephen Curry teamed up alongside two-time Super Bowl winner Peyton Manning for a charity golf match against Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and five-time major champion Phil Mickelson.
Capital One's "The Match: Champions for Change" was broadcast on TNT and contributed toward and highlighted diversity, equality and inclusion through donations to Historically Black Colleges and Universities while raising awareness and spotlighting opportunities for diversity and equality in sports.
Although the team of Curry and Manning came up short, the two-time NBA MVP showed off his marksmanship on the links with a couple of nice swings. His highlight came on the Par-3 sixth hole when Curry's tee shot landed within six feet of the cup, although his partner, Manning, missed the short putt as the hole was halved.
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