Steph Curry is one of the largest NBA stars. The basketball world met him in 2008 as a slim boy who had March Madness exploded.
November 10, 2006 was a normal day in college basketball – almost.
That day the insignificant and tiny Davidson College from North Carolina won with 81:77 against Eastern Michigan, although the new Point Guard made 13 ball losses.
At the time, nobody suspected that this slim boy who looked like he was just twelve, would shake the basketball world and then conquer: Wardell Stephen Curry II – or simply Steph.
His father Dell is a legend of Charlotte Hornets, the little Steph grew up practically in basketball halls and always knew that he wanted that too. At that time the Hornets fell the litter of curry jr. on.
At first he was not particularly known to college, today every basketball fan knows him, he has long been a living basketball legend.
Duke and Co. ignored curry
But why did Curry land with this name and large basketball colleges in the neighborhood at the inconspicuous wildcats? Virginia Tech – his father’s college – did not want to offer him a scholarship, but only wanted to take him into the team as a walk -on.
The heavyweights Duke and North Carolina were not interested, although Curry led his school team to three conference titles and was appointed to the All-State team. Too small, too slim, too many gymnastics was the verdict.
“We watched him since he was in the 10th grade. He definitely had something special. I called him so often to convince him,” said Davidson assistant coach Matt Matheny at the time. The second assistant coach Jim Fox was also enthusiastic: “He looked so incredibly young. Today everyone says: Davidson was lucky. That is nonsense, we did our homework.”
Only Durant tops him as a freshman
Already in his second game for Davidson, Curry gave 32 points in an away game in an away game.
That season, he set a record for most of a freshman of the college history and in the end was only behind a Freshman in the country with 21.5 points per game: a certain Kevin Durant.
“For me, coach McKillop was an important factor. He convinced me of his dream. I knew he would help me to exploit my entire potential,” said Curry later.
Warriors coach Kerr was thrilled
After the end of the first round of the March Madness tournament in 2007, Curry went into his second year. Against UCLA with the later NBA stars Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook, it set a 63:75 defeat in early December, Curry only hit six of his 19 throws, but he was still impressed by a grandstand.
“It was magical. His throws did not fall, but his feeling for the game, his ball treatment stood out. The whole game was about him,” recalled his current coach Steve Kerr (then General Manager of the Phoenix Suns) later at ESPN .
“His parents Dell and Sonya were there too. Sonya asked me if Steph could play in the NBA. I said: Of course! She was so relieved. You didn’t even know if he would make it into the NBA. When I see what he already achieves, it is just incredible,” said Kerr.
March Madness 2008: Curry explodes
A few months later, the entire basketball world should get to know Curry. On March 21, 2008 – today 17 years ago – he led his team of students – only one teammate later played as a professional (in France) – to the first March Madness round against Gonzaga.
With an incredible 30 points in the second half and a total of eight threesome, Curry shocked the favorite. “I think Steph had the feeling that it would be his moment. We only had to make room for him. As soon as the ball left his fingers, everything was fine,” said team -mate Thomas Sander years later.
Incredible show against Georgetown
At that time Davidson played his first two rounds in Raleigh, North Carolina – Quasi Steph’s neighborhood. The home advantage was correspondingly large.
Georgetown came to Gonzaga. The Hoyas are part of the aristocracy in college basketball: Patrick Ewing, all Iverson – still questions? The 2008 team consisted of later NBA players Roy Hibbert, Dajuan Summers, Vernon Macklin and Chris Wright, plus Patrick Ewing jr. and the later Bayern star Jonathan Wallace.
Many experts trusted Hoyas the Final Four. Twelve minutes before the end, Davidson was still at the back of Davids, before Curry sank a threesome with a foul and completely turned the game upside down. With one of his very deep threesome today, Curry decided the game – the hall was head.
Stephen Curry after success with Davidson against Georgetown
“It was incredible! Such a small guard with an average team destroys the entire NCAA tournament. I really hoped that he is coming to the final Four,” said his today’s teammate Draymond Green later.
Bitter end in the quarter -finals against Kansas
After a clear victory and 33 curry points about the Wisconsin Badgers on number three, only the big kansas in the way of the small wildcats in the Football Stadium of the Detroit Lions.
All eight Kansas players with more than five minutes later came to NBA missions, Mario Chalmers belonged to LeBron James’ Superteam in Miami.
Against Kansas with Mario Chalmers (right) and Co. for Stephen Curry’s Davidson at March Madness 2008
Nevertheless, Davidson demanded everything at 57:59. Kansa’s double and triple curry – and yet he scored 25 points. More than 57,000 spectators didn’t trust their eyes. In the last attack, Kansas did not let him get the ball and a teammate missed the chance of win.
Kansas later won the final against Derrick Rose and Memphis, but Steph Curry is particularly remembered by that crazy March 2008. He only missed the record for three in a tournament (27) by four – although he played two games less than possible.
Curry stays true to itself
The following year, Curry was the top scorer of the NCAA with almost 29 points, after which in round two by March Madness, he decided on the NBA draft. The Golden State Warriors selected him number seven. The rest is history.
“For me, the most important thing from back then is what we have achieved as a team. No matter what I personally managed, that would not have been possible without my teammates. That is not a phrase, so I see it,” emphasized curry later.
This is exactly what distinguishes the two-time MVP in times of Instagram-Ruhm and rampant selfishness from other sports stars. As often as he can, he visits his college and his home Charlotte.
Curry has remained true to itself and in many ways the slim boy from back then, who showed it to everyone.