It is great enough to be an NBA superstar, let alone one who has won two regular season MVPs, four world championships, and a Finals MVP award as the Golden State Warriors‘ Stephen Curry has.
But it’s an entirely different animal when one also becomes an inspiration and a good role model off the court as well.
For years, Curry has been one of the more likable superstars in sports, and he has been someone people wouldn’t mind their kids emulating.
He hasn’t gotten involved on the wrong side of the law, he doesn’t promote himself, and he seems to be a devoted family man, as he brought one of his daughters to his postgame press conferences for a while.
Stephen Curry's daughter Riley steals the spolight during the 2015 Conf. Finals Game 1 press conference. pic.twitter.com/bGjKapyLRR
— NBA India (@NBAIndia) September 7, 2016
Recently, Curry went back to his alma mater, Davidson College, to get his degree in sociology, and on Wednesday, he received his diploma while getting his No. 30 jersey retired by the school.
LeBron James took to social media to congratulate Curry on his big day.
LeBron James congratulates Steph Curry on his Davidson special graduation 👨🎓
(via @KingJames /IG, warriors/IG)pic.twitter.com/4IOsfzOVpw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 1, 2022
It was a nice gesture from someone Curry has denied from winning the NBA championship multiple times.
Curry And James Are Legitimate Rivals
In this era, Curry and James could be considered rivals, as they’re widely considered the league’s two best players of the past decade, along with possibly Kevin Durant.
Starting in 2015, the two superstars met in the NBA Finals four straight times, with Curry winning three of the four matchups.
The first one was particularly galling for James, as his co-star, Kyrie Irving, went down in Game 1 with a knee injury and missed the rest of the series.
James powered his Cleveland Cavaliers to a surprising 2-1 series lead, but Curry led the Warriors to three straight victories as they claimed the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The following year, Golden State went up 3-1 in the championship series, but James charged back, as the Cavs won the next three contests and brought Cleveland its first world championship in any major sport since 1964.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Warriors, as they dropped Game 7 at home, but with Durant coming to town, they took home the next two titles.
After a couple of years of purgatory due to injuries, Curry and the Warriors are back on top after defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals a couple of months ago.
The 3-point sniper is now getting lots of recognition as one of the sport’s all-time greats, something which he had been denied to a certain extent for years.
Patrick Beverley said on ESPN that Stephen Curry is “right there with LeBron James” on the all-time list. pic.twitter.com/DlGw2FEscA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 26, 2022
ESPN’s Bobby Marks ranks Stephen Curry as the second-best player of all-time behind Michael Jordan 😲 pic.twitter.com/0hg86PjZAF
— SplashBrosMuse (@SplashBrosMuse) July 12, 2022
Could Curry And James Be On A Collision Course Again?
While the Warriors have a great chance of making it five NBA championships in nine years this coming season, James’ Los Angeles Lakers are in turmoil.
They missed the playoffs last season due to injuries, poor roster construction, and the poor fit of Russell Westbrook.
Los Angeles has been trying to trade Westbrook for a while, and there is always the chance it pulls off a move that gives it a shot at contending for the title.
If that happens, a Lakers-Warriors matchup in the Western Conference Finals would be a real treat for basketball fans, and it would surely net the league some very high ratings.
NEXT: Colin Cowherd Makes A Bold Claim About Kevin Durant's Summer