We often forget that NBA players are also people like the rest of us… Humans with their own lives and families, and not just super-athletes and pixels on our screens. They’ve grown through childhood and teenage years, and have leaned on others while growing up to reach the upper echelons of basketball. They’ve cared, or rather, they care about people too. We get a window into that occasionally, at times during award speeches.
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We all remember Kevin Durant’s “Real MVP” speech. And then we have Warriors star Stephen Curry, who has highlighted his mother Sonya’s impact throughout his career. Despite that, Sonya jokes about her son not giving her the same public display of respect Durant accorded his mother.
The Warriors had a superteam of powerful mothers in 2017. Sonya and Durant’s mother, Wanda, sat down at the time for a special feature to discuss the amazing season their sons were having. Draymond Green’s mother, Mary, also joined them in the ESPN special feature.
Out of the three, Wanda was the first to become a figure in the public eye. KD immortalized his mother in NBA history with his iconic 2014 MVP speech. “We wasn’t supposed to be here. You made us believe. You kept us off the street. You put clothes on our backs, [and] food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You, the real MVP,” he said.
Curry has shown love to his mother, too, but not in front of the camera like Durant. Sonya poked fun at how her son had two opportunities to do what Durant did for his mother.
“I need to go have a talk with Steph,” Sonya joked. “He has had two times to call me MVP or at least do something.”
Rachel Nichols butted in to come to Steph’s defense. “I mean, he’s thanked you. I do want to stick up for Steph a little bit. He [has] said lovely things about you,” she added.
The four ladies shared a hearty laugh while clarifying that it was just a joke. However, this was a great example of how close these athletes are with their moms.
Draymond and Kevin were both products of a single-parent household. As a result, they view their mothers as superheroes for providing for themselves and their siblings on their own.
On the other hand, Curry grew up in a two-parent household. By no means does that diminish the impact and view that he has of his mother. She helped raise him and his brother Seth to achieve their dreams of playing in the NBA.
These athletes seem invincible when they’re on the court. But in reality, they are just someone’s little boy. Their relationship with their mothers is a great example of the role family plays in sports.
