Being a celebrity’s family is no walk in the park. Imagine being the mother of two NBA superstars, Stephen and Seth Curry! In the stands, Sonya Curry often cheers them on, expressing a whirlwind of emotions. Her pride shines bright, but it’s not always easy. With two fiercely competitive sons battling at the highest level of basketball, the pressure can be intense. Yet, Sonya remains a constant source of support and strength. She navigates the ups and downs of fame while championing her boys. How does she manage it all?
Sonya Curry, a former college volleyball player, knows competition firsthand. She understands the pressure her sons face in every game. The educator-turned-author of Fierce Love: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Purpose, feels the rush of nervousness while cheering for them. Moreover, Sonya never shies away from sharing her honest feelings. You can always count on her for candid answers when questions arise. On the ‘Got It From My Momma’ podcast, Jennifer Vickery Smith asked Sonya Curry, “What is it like for you to be in those stands cheering on those boys you’re so proud of?”
The mother of her star boys answered: “At first it’s fun being just a spectator and a fan of the game. And so you go into it like all excited about that. And then once the whistle kinda blows, to just, for the jump ball and to get started, you’re like- breathe, just breathe.” Well, you can call this nervousness or anxiety from witnessing the fierce games unfold. “And so a lot of the animations and actions that people see me doing in the stands is just the release of nervousness and anxiety,” Sonya Curry added.
Stephen Curry’s mom further shared: “It’s like I was nervous every day as a parent because just like most parents you don’t just want to mess up. You don’t want to mess your children up. And if we didn’t fear them, the world would do it. So I was just there with a lot of fear.” In fair honesty, fear is the primary emotion any parent would feel for their kids. No matter where you go or what you do, your parents are going to be fearful about your life. And well, this maternal concern has been a major part of Sonya Curry’s life. Especially when Steph was taken up by the Warriors, his parents were concerned about the locker room situation there.
Now that Steph has been the star for the Dubs since his 2009 debut, Sonya can relax. But is it so? The 10x NBA All-Star’s mum undoubtedly sits with her fingers crossed in the stands. Despite knowing what her son can do on the court, and the nickname he’s gotten The Baby-Faced Assassin, Momma Curry looks at her kids just the way she did when they were in her arms as infants. That’s a mother’s love, that’s the parental fear she faces every time her boys are on the court.
Sonya Curry and Dell Curry were concerned about the Warriors locker room at the time of Stephen Curry’s debut
Stephen Curry was the seventh overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. He had just come off an incredible season with Davidson at the college level. You can imagine the excitement in the Curry household when the 2x MVP became an official NBA player. But it wasn’t all smiles. His parents, Dell Curry, a former Charlotte Hornets player, and Sonya Curry had their worries. Their concerns were “some questionable characters” in the Golden State Warriors locker room.
Surprisingly, both Sonya and Dell didn’t want their son to join the Bay Area team. Mamma Curry went to the extent of saying: “I didn’t even know where that was. When they announced Golden State, I was like, ‘Where’s the Golden State?’” Well, their concerns weren’t completely off the point as the Dubs had a controversial figure, Monta Ellis. In 2008, he was suspended without pay for 30 games. Ellis signed a 6-year, $66 million contract in July. In late August, he sprained his ankle in a low-speed moped crash.
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He lied to Warriors management, saying the injury occurred while playing pickup basketball. When the truth came out, then-GSW president Robert Rowell suspended Ellis. Meanwhile, Stephen Jackson, the most experienced Dubs player in 2009, faced scrutiny for his off-court behavior. Naturally, Sonya Curry and her husband worried about their 21-year-old son.
Nonetheless, this son soon turned into the face of the Golden State Warriors and brought their first championship since 1975 in the 2014/15 season. Sonya Curry’s firstborn became the best shooter in NBA history and etched his name among the best of the best. It’s been a long journey for not just Steph and Seth but also for their families. But, there’s more to come and Mama Curry might have to bite her nails for a few more years. She must until her boys hang their boots and leave the courts as stars of the moment.