By As the NBA world gears up for All-Star Weekend, few players have had the kind of full-circle moment that Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry is experiencing.
Set to make his 11th All-Star appearance, Curry will have the rare privilege of playing in front of his home crowd as the Bay Area hosts the event, an opportunity he sees as both exciting and surreal.
“I’m super excited. It’s kind of weird though,” Curry admitted to CNN Sport’s Andy Scholes. “Usually, when you finish the last game before the break, you’re on a plane somewhere to a different city. It’s a busy week, but it’s not home. Here, everything’s familiar – being able to do activations here in Oakland, and I know there’s a lot of stuff going on in the city as well, San Francisco.”
The All-Star festivities, which bring together the league’s biggest stars, serve as a showcase not only for the game’s elite talent but also for the communities that host them. For Curry, the significance of having the event in the Bay goes beyond basketball.
“To shine a light on the entire Bay and celebrate all of what basketball has done, not only here in the States but internationally … it’s kind of like a full-circle, reflective moment. I’m just trying to take it all in.”
As Curry moves into the twilight of his career, he has placed more emphasis on appreciating these moments. Fresh off a summer where he shared the Olympic stage with fellow superstars Kevin Durant and LeBron James, he sees this weekend as another special opportunity to reflect on the journey.
“All-Star Game is not the Olympics, but it’s another opportunity to celebrate the competition, the history, and what we’ve all accomplished in the game,” he said. “The fact that we’re all still trying to win at the highest levels – you got to acknowledge and appreciate it.”
The NBA has also introduced a new All-Star Game format this year, aimed at injecting more competitiveness into what has often been criticized as a lackluster exhibition. Curry is optimistic about the changes, believing they could rekindle the competitive fire that fans have longed to see.
“I hope so. You can’t be afraid to try something new,” Curry said. “The game was a little stale for a couple of years. A new format will hopefully shock the system a little bit. I think the smaller, condensed games can keep the competition high, and the addition of the Rising Stars winners as a fourth team, I think pride will come in. … Doesn’t mean it’s going to be playoff intensity, but we just want to have fun, and I think it’ll work.”
While All-Star Weekend is a welcome break from the grind that is the NBA season, Curry knows there’s work to be done. With the Warriors acquiring Jimmy Butler in a blockbuster trade, the focus is on making a playoff push.
“Right now, it’s just a matter of appreciating the challenge of trying to put together a good run down the stretch,” Curry said. “We’re taking it in small increments, we haven’t been a consistent team all year, so we’re trying to put a streak of wins together, get into a playoff series, because that’s really all we want – a fighting chance to be a threat in the playoffs.”
For now, though, Curry is soaking in the All-Star experience, enjoying the rare chance to celebrate his legacy and the game he loves – right at home.
Beyond the excitement of the All-Star Game itself, Curry is also using the weekend as an opportunity to celebrate the impact of Curry Brand’s philanthropic efforts in Oakland. This past weekend, Curry Brand completed its 20th and final court refurbishment at McClymonds High School, fulfilling its commitment to renovate 20 safe places to play by 2025. The project, which also includes training 15,000 coaches and supporting 145 programs, has ultimately impacted 300,000 kids around the world.
“Basketball has done so much for me in my life obviously,” Curry said. “I’ve been playing since I was five, watching my dad play never in my wildest imagination would I have thought that my career would’ve been what it is.
“To be able to leverage that into creating an amazing opportunity – on and off the court – through Curry Brand and through what we’re doing in order to change the game for good. Super excited it’s had the impact that it’s had.
“Anytime somebody walks on any of the courts that we’ve refurbished as a part of any of the programs that we’ve helped establish, … you’re giving kids an opportunity to find that for themselves.”
McClymonds High School, known as the “School of Champions” due to its basketball legacy, was the perfect setting to honor Curry Brand’s community accomplishments. As part of the celebration, the school’s gym was officially named the “William Felton ‘Bill’ Russell Gymnasium” in honor of the NBA legend, civil rights activist, and McClymonds alumnus. Additionally, the school’s library will feature books authored by Russell to inspire future generations of students.
“Bill would be so proud to be a partner with Curry Brand and Under Armour to help make Oakland an even stronger community through this beautiful court,” said Jeannine Russell, wife of Bill Russell. “Bill always understood the value that sports and education played in building a strong foundation for a community, but only if the opportunity existed for everyone.”
To commemorate the moment, Curry joined top high school basketball players from the Oakland Unified School District for an all-star exhibition on McClymonds’ newly refurbished court. Under Armour athletes Kelsey Plum and Brandon Jennings coached the two competing teams, “The City” and “The Town,” representing the two sides of the Bay Area.
The NBA All Star Game is on Sunday, February 16 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
