Stephen Curry's 6-foot-2 frame hasn't prevented him from dominating the NBA over the past decade, but his father believes he could have been more.
Curry's father, former NBA guard Dell Curry, is 6-foot-5. Dell addressed his son's height during a recent episode of the Audible podcast “Heat Check with Stephen and Dell Curry.”
“From age 6 through sixth grade, you were always the smallest, shortest, skinniest guy on every team, and I think that was because of your mom,” Dell said in the episode.
Dell's ex-wife and Steph's mother is 5 feet 3 inches tall. Curry's parents first met at Virginia Tech, where Dell played basketball and Sonia played volleyball. The two married in 1988 and had three children together. However, the couple announced their divorce in 2021 after 33 years of marriage.
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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (second from right) attempts a pass while being guarded by Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (second from left) and forward Jeremi Grant (right) during the second half of a game on Dec. 17, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Dell was selected 15th overall in the 1986 draft and began his NBA career with the Utah Jazz, but is best known for his 10-year stint with the Charlotte Hornets, where he won the 1994 Sixth Man of the Year award.
Dell was three inches taller than Steph, but the younger Curry had the better basketball resume, though Steph's height posed some obstacles early on.
At Charlotte Christian High School in North Carolina, Steph was an all-conference and all-state selection and led his team to three conference championships and three state playoff appearances, but struggled to secure a basketball scholarship because of his size; he wasn't even 6-foot-2 at the time.
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Golden State Warriors player Ian Clark (left) and Stephen Curry (right) carry the Larry O'Brien Trophy during the Golden State Warriors' NBA championship parade and rally on June 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Joel Angel Juarez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Steph wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and play at Virginia Tech, but was only offered a walk-on spot due to his slight build at 160 pounds at the time, so he turned down the offer and instead stayed in North Carolina to play at Davidson College.
Curry said his size disadvantage motivated him to put in the extra effort to become a stronger player.
“When I was younger, I had some issues with my fitness, but I was always encouraged to just work at it, figure it out, and build my confidence,” Steph told Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett on their “Smartless” podcast in November 2023.
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United States player Stephen Curry embraces his mother, Sonia Curry, after his team's victory over France during the men's gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Being in the gym all the time kind of forces you. You develop an attachment to the gym.”
Steph was the NCAA's scoring leader as a junior at Davidson College in 2008-09 and was named to the first team All-American team.
Curry was then drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2009 NBA Draft, higher than his father, and won four NBA titles and two NBA MVP awards with the team. Curry turned in a stellar shooting performance for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, winning his first Olympic gold medal.
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