NBA legend Vince Carter’s one small act left a huge impression on a young Stephen Curry.
Being an NBA player is more than just showcasing excellent skills on the court. The biggest superstars in the league are also role models and idols of millions of kids around the world.
While most fans never get a chance to meet their idols, being the son of an NBA player certainly plays a role in fulfilling that dream.
Well, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry knows this pretty well as he grew up around NBA players, thanks to his father Dell Curry being an NBA star.
Vince Carter’s tenure with the Toronto Raptors was nothing short of magical. After all, Carter became a household name while wearing a Raptors jersey, thanks to his insane athletic prowess.
In fact, Carter earned the nickname ‘Vinsanity’ during his stint with the Raptors. Speaking of which, a young Curry met Carter in the middle of his Vinsanity run, but what the former NBA star did left a huge impact on the future 4x NBA champ.
“I mean, anytime a guy like that—in the middle of Vinsanity—would give a kid the time of day… I was his teammate’s kid, but I feel like he treated me the same as he would any other kid that came in the gym,” Curry told SLAM Magazine.
“[I was] trying to show him up with my crossover move at 11 years old. He taught me great lessons. I didn’t know at that time I would become an NBA player, an All-Star, and all that kinda stuff.
“But I remember how he treated me, and how much fun he had playing one-on-one for five, ten minutes after they practiced,” he added.
Those five, ten minutes with Carter meant the world to Curry. Today, Curry is fulfilling the dreams of many kids around the globe.
Continuing his Carter story, Steph further added that the Raptors legend’s behavior ‘rubbed’ off on him in a great way.
“It showed the humanity of an NBA player and the influence they can have. That rubbed off on me in a great way.”
In fact, Curry has carried forward that gesture to thousands of kids as he spoke about allowing them to get their moment with NBA players.
“Yeah, you never know, that little moment of connection goes a long way, I think. You don’t know how impactful that can be for that kid. NBA players talking to them, having fun with them can inspire a lot of confidence,” Steph stated in 2016.
With that attitude, it’s no wonder why Curry is one of the most likable superstars in the NBA right now, along with being a face of the game.
