Stephen Curry is one of the greatest players in modern NBA history, but he almost played an entirely different role in the sport. In a chat with NBC Sports Dalton Johnson, the 4x champion opened up on his coaching dreams and where he first developed the itch to become a leader on the sidelines.
“My mom was an educator growing up, so I kind of understood how to connect with people,” Curry said. “Seeing people learn a skill, or learn anything really, and that joy that comes with accomplishment, that always got me going.”
Steph ended up deviating slightly from the coaching track, but it doesn’t mean he won’t ever reconsider the job. In fact, he seemed very open to the idea of one day coaching a team of his own after his playing career is done.
“I mean, anything is possible,” Curry added. “Who knows what the future holds. But the idea of yeah, that alternate universe, I would have been happy as hell to be a high school coach, knowing how important that presence is for kids. Everybody has a role to play. I took a different path.”
Before Steph was on the path of NBA stardom, his goal was to coach high school basketball and inspire greatness in young athletes. Even his wife, Ayesha, once thought he’d end up coaching rather than playing.
While we have yet to see Curry as a coach, he seems particularly well-equipped for the role. He grew up around the game, thanks to his father Dell, and learned the proper habits and strategies at an early age. Today, you can see he’s got a deep understanding of the game, but he’s also got the patience to deal with people.
As a natural leader and creative thinker, Curry could have found real success in the coaching world, and he still can whenever he retires from the NBA. He wouldn’t be the first player to make that leap, and being a 4x champion (as well as the greatest shooter ever) makes him uniquely qualified for the task.
Of course, when Steph began to hone his skills and develop into an elite prospect himself, his goals shifted from coaching to playing, and the rest is history. Had he stuck to his initial desires, Curry would never have become a champion, and the NBA world might have never experienced the three-point revolution.
In the end, with career averages of 24.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 47.1% shooting, it’s safe to say that Steph made the right choice, and it has resulted in generational success for him and his family. He’s set a legacy that will go beyond his final game, and he’ll have the chance to enhance it further well into retirement.
At 37 years old, Steph’s playing days are likely nearing their end, and we don’t yet know what he plans to do. But if he’s serious about the coaching stint, it’ll be yet another way he adds to the game of basketball and even more reason to acknowledge his place as one of the pioneers of the game.
