Steph Curry Didn’t Do It Alone

No one does it alone.

I think about my journey thus far and I’m a turtle on a fence post. (I didn’t get there alone!)

Steph Curry’s journey is no different.

I loved watching Steph’s documentary UNDERRATED last week.

Steph received ZERO major Division 1 offers. Leading him to accept an offer to a small, liberal arts school, Davidson. McKillop saw something in Steph.

He was undersized, not extraordinarily athletic. Put plainly, he wasn’t a special snowflake.

BUT he had a coach, McKillop, that believed in him.

The most striking moment of his journey for me was McKillop giving him the starting role on game #2 of his college career after terribly flopping in the first game of his NCAA career against Eastern Michigan with 13 turnovers!

McKillop believed in Steph enough to start him in the very next game against Michigan (Major Division 1 program). What a risk!

Steph went out against Michigan and racked: 32 points, 9 rebounds, & 4 assists. That was an inflection point in his career!

Belief precedes ability.

I’m sure there was doubt after the flop against Eastern Michigan for McKillop and Steph.

But McKillop, Steph’s teammates, & Steph believed. Then, the work that was put in began to bear fruit. The confidence and the output compounded over the next three seasons leading to an epic March Madness run in 2008.

Steph’s challenges and obstacles in college prepared him for the next chapter of his journey in the NBA.

Just as he was an underdog in college, he was an underdog going into the NBA. Check out the scouting report entering the draft:

• “Far below NBA standards in regard to explosiveness and athleticism”

• “Extremely small for the NBA shooting guard position”

• “Struggles defensively getting around screens”

• “Needs to add muscle to upper body but appears that he will always be skinny”

I love his underdog story. It’s inspiring for us in small to medium sized family businesses. We don’t necessarily have the resources to compete with the incredibly “smart” investment firms with much deeper pockets.

But we can put in the work and play the long-term game with long-term people.

Steph put in the work.

What is worked on in private gets praised in public.

The work & confidence compounded:

• 4 time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)

• NBA Finals MVP (2022)

• 2 time NBA Most Valuable Player (2015 & 2016)

• Most career 3 pointers in NBA history (by almost 1,000!)

I’m glad he didn’t listen to the scouting reports or the lack of major Division 1 offers.

Onward,

Matt