Mastering the art of scoring from beyond the arc changed the trajectory of Stephen Curry‘s NBA career. However, the birth of his first daughter, Riley, left an even bigger impact on his journey. It changed his life as a whole while shaping his viewpoint about the world.
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During an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2016, Curry discussed precisely this. The Golden State Warriors talisman talked about how toddler Riley consumed most of his off-court hours. This, in turn, helped him cope with the setbacks of his life better, as the 36-year-old mentioned,
“It puts everything into perspective. I don’t ever have a bad day knowing when I go home, I have my wife and daughter to enjoy life with…There’s nothing more gratifying than coming home and spending time with your daughter and your wife and just enjoying what God has blessed me with…I don’t even know what I used to do with my free time…Cause now it’s all about Riley. So, it’s a good thing that’s going on”.
This showcased how the stars started aligning for Curry in both personal and professional fields in the early 2010s. Just when the Warriors guard was about to enter his prime years, he was blessed with a daughter in 2012. This undoubtedly aided in him getting past the minor obstacles of life while keeping him fixed on the bigger goals.
Over the years, this shift in viewpoint worked wonders for him. By the time this interview aired, Curry was already a 2x champion, an MVP, and an All-Star. Furthermore, nothing could dent this momentum as the Akron-born earned even more accolades in the following seasons.
Looking back at Riley’s memorable public appearances alongside Stephen Curry
So, in a way, Riley’s presence preceded Curry’s greatness. More importantly, it gave the NBA fans several heartwarming public interactions between the father-daughter duo. One such instance occurred during the 2015 Western Conference Finals when Riley insisted on sitting on Curry’s lap during a post-game conference.
Shortly after, when Curry found himself in the middle of questions, his daughter started laughing. The latter subsequently told her father, “You’re too loud Daddy! Be quiet!”. The entire room burst into laughter upon hearing Riley’s words, giving rise to an unforgettable moment.
Later that year, when the Warriors star appeared in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Riley again became the center of attention. Her unfiltered remarks during the press conferences interested the host, Jimmy Kimmel. While the latter and Curry discussed her hilarious endeavors, the toddler waved towards both, warming the crowd’s hearts.
So, Curry rightly pointed out how his daughter’s presence turned things around in his life. On top of this, the NBA icon received two more such gifts when he welcomed Ryan and Canon into his household in 2015 and 2018 respectively. This added a layer to his exemplary viewpoint while solidifying his stardom in the league’s history.
