"Out there on my grandpa's court, there was no better place in the world to breed that kind of creativity" - Stephen Curry reveals the origins of his remarkable hoops ingenuity
Throughout his 16-year NBA career, Golden State Warriors megastar Stephen Curry has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that there's nothing he can't pull off on the hardwood. Blitz him on the pick and roll? No problem, he'll just shimmy his way out of trouble and drain a three-pointer from way downtown.
Cover him one-on-one? Good luck, because his ball-handling skills and quick feet make him nearly impossible to defend. Curry's incredible abilities on the court have earned him numerous accolades, including two MVP awards, 11 All-NBA selections, and four NBA championships.
But where did this seemingly endless talent come from? As it turns out, Curry's creativity and skill on the basketball court can be traced back to his childhood days spent playing on his grandpa's rugged backyard court. It was here that Curry first fell in love with the game and helped develop both his resiliency and relentless pursuit of perfection.
It was a way to keep Dell busy
Growing up in Grottoes, Virginia, Steph's father, Dell Curry, had little in the way of entertainment. His choices were to play with his older sisters' dolls or survey the woods that surrounded their property — a perilous option given the wild animals that inhabited the area. So, his father, Wardell "Jack" Curry, built a makeshift court in their yard.
With an old utility pole, sturdy steel brackets, a fiberglass board, and plenty of hard work, Wardell crafted a basketball hoop for his son to enjoy. It was far from perfect, with an uneven surface filled with rocks and a rusty rim, but it served its purpose and became the birthplace of Steph's basketball journey.
As Dell sharpened his shooting skills to the point where he eventually made the NBA, he built a family of his own with wife Sonya, who gave birth to their eldest son, Wardell Stephen, in Akron, Ohio. During the offseason, they frequented Jack's home. And much like Dell before him, Steph honed his skills on the same makeshift court his grandpa built years ago.
"I always felt like the love and the lessons of that hoop got passed down to me," Steph shared. "It's crazy to think about how everything kinda started right there at this house with this one old hoop."His shot had to be perfect and true
Unlike playing in an urban setting where basketball courts are pristine, Curry's court was spartan. A mistimed dribble would send the ball bouncing off a rock, sending Steph chasing after it. Throw up a brick, and the ball just may end up in the woods, where hungry bears wait for their next meal.
It was in this challenging setting that the Chef learned how to "cook."
"That connection to perfection comes from my granddad and his hoop," Curry expressed. "It was 'make it or chase it' out there, and if you missed, it was terrible. So you didn't miss. That instills something in you as a shooter without you even knowing it's happening."
As he worked on his game, there were moments of frustration and doubt, but Curry never gave up. He knew he had to make it work, right there, on that court, rocks be damned.
"This was a visionary place for me," he explained. "Make it work no matter what you have to work with."
"That's something that stuck with me very early on as a point guard. Adjust. Get creative. Try a different angle, a different lane, a different move or a different shot," he continued. "Just make it work. Out there on my grandpa's court, there was no better place in the world to breed that kind of creativity."
The most beautiful diamonds often come from the roughest of rocks, and Steph's journey to becoming one of the greatest shooters in NBA history was no exception. Although his family was well off, he was forced to make do with what was on his grandpa's ranch: an old basketball hoop and plenty of determination.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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