“Don’t Forget Who You Are!”: Stephen Curry Once Told Neymar Jr. How Ayesha Curry Helped Him Rehab Through Ankle Surgeries

Stephen Curry is one of the best basketball players the world has ever seen. Despite not having the build of a typical successful basketball player, Steph found success by reinventing the game. Curry shifted the focus of the game and changed the way the three-point line is looked at.

Steph won 4x NBA Championships while redefining the game of basketball for good. He led the Warriors to their first championship in 40 years in 2015. While doing so, he won his first MVP as well. Since then, the Dubs have won 3 more championships in the next seven seasons.

Curry’s contributions for the Warriors ensured he became the first NBA player to get multiple $200+ Million deals. However, things weren’t always going in his favor. At the end of the 2010-11 season, Steph had surgery on his right ankle. In the subsequent season, Steph missed the last 28 games because of a sprained ankle, followed by a second surgery on the same ankle.

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Stephen Curry discussed Injury Rehab with Neymar Jr.

In 2018, The Players Tribune brought Stephen Curry and Neymar Jr. together for a one-of-a-kind interview. During that interview, Neymar Jr and Steph talked about quite a few things, including winning championships, getting the respect of the legends of the game, and more.

Curry started talking about injuries and recovery when he was asked about a moment that changed his life in a profound way. Steph said,

“I don’t know the specific day, but it was the summer of 2012. I’d just had my second surgery on my ankle… And I don’t think she’d(Ayesha) ever heard me say like … never heard me doubt myself or doubt the process of coming back from an injury, because I’m such an optimistic person. I always see the glass half full.”

Curry talked about how tough things were for him, and the headspace he was in.

“But in that moment it really tested my mental strength to get through the dog days of a second summer of rehab, and not really know where the end was going to be. You always wonder, again like what we just talked about it — you’re chasing greatness, you want to be great, but the one thing I couldn’t control was my health, in terms of my ankles.”

He shared how Ayesha helped him get over the tough times. Steph recalled how one thing that Ayesha said to him that changed things.

“And she gave me that one line of like, “Don’t forget who you are.” That kind of kept me focused on that mission. And two years later, or almost three years later, I’m back on the court, winning the championship. So that moment right there was kind of like the lowest of lows, and it was kind of only up from there.”

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Steph’s redemption arc after his injuries

While Curry was recovering from his second ankle surgery, the Warriors were debating their future with Steph. They decided to sign him on a 4-year, $44 Million deal. Many called that a bad move by the team. However, in those four years, Curry won 2x MVPs, led the Warriors to their first championship in 40 years, led the team to a 73-win season, and then won yet another championship.

Since then, Steph has signed two 200+ Million deals and has won 2 more championships for the Warriors. He finally won the ever-evading Finals MVP in 2022, when he led the Dubs to their 4th championship in the last eight seasons.

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Overall, the gamble Warriors took on Steph paid off well. It not only helped the team win its championships but also helped them build its value to $7 Billion.