Steph Curry is Looking for Gold

July 22, 2010

2007 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship silver medalist Stephen Curry recently capped his rookie season in the NBA by being runner-up for the 2010 Rookie of the Year. He averaged  17.5 points and 5.9 assist an outing for the Golden State Warriors and was a unanimous selection to the 2010 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie first team.

A three-year star at Davidson College, Curry aided Davidson to an 85-20 slate, three Southern Conference regular season titles, two Southern Conference Tournament crowns, a pair of NCAA tourneys and on NIT.

The No. 7 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft is hoping to add another highlight to his already filled trophy case. He’d love to head overseas to help USA Basketball capture its first FIBA World Championship gold medal since the Shaq-led 1994 team captured gold.

We caught up with Curry, whose father is 16-year NBA vet Del Curry and brother Seth is a 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship gold medalist, following his third practice as a member of the 2010 USA Basketball Men’s National Team to find out how things were going and what he’s been doing since the regular season ended.

How have you spent your time from the end of the regular season until now?
I played a lot of golf. Took a trip to Puerto Rico and spent a lot of time at home in Charlotte, N.C., with my family.

What is your personal evaluation of your rookie season in the NBA?
It was a lot of ups and downs. There were a lot of games that I had to play with so many different lineups. But I got a lot of playing time, a lot of on court experience and got better. It was a good first year there.

Who was your role model or idol growing up that you wanted to pattern your game after?
I patterned my game after everybody I watched. I wasn’t like a lot of players who would take a lot from one guy. I would just watch everybody and pick and choose. Of course I would follow my dad wherever he went and learn from him.

What is your favorite NBA arena on the road to play in?
Back at home in Charlotte (Time Warner Cable Arena, home of the Charlotte Bobcats). I had a lot of family and friends who came out to the game (when Golden State visited). It almost felt like a home game as soon as I got the first inbounds pass. I was dribbling up the court and they were cheering for me. My college, Davidson, is so close to the arena that I had a lot of fans there.

What would it mean to you to make this team and represent the country in the FIBA World Championship?
It would mean a lot. It’s the highest level to represent your country. The talent that is on this team is incredible so to be a part of that roster would be a dream come true for me. Just to be tourist overseas for a little bit would be great too. I’ve never really been overseas.