Davidson standout guard Stephen Curry will make a decision sometime this week as to whether to skip his senior year of college and turn pro – but that decision has not come yet, his father Dell Curry said Monday.
Dell Curry denied a report from the website DraftExpress.com, which claimed Curry had already made his decision and would go pro. “That’s just not true,” Dell Curry told The Observer Monday. “At some point, it’s going to be true or false, but they’re just guessing. I guess they do that to draw interest to the website – just put it out there and hope they’re right.”
Davidson coach Bob McKillop said he had a 30-minute, one-on-one meeting with Stephen Curry Thursday night and then had dinner with his star player Friday night.
“We went over all the pluses and minuses,” McKillop told me Monday. “I made it clear to him that although his decision will certainly impact our program in numerous ways, there’s no sense of urgency from our standpoint. I want him to make a decision that is well-thought out and that he’s comfortable with."
If Curry does go pro a year early, he’s thought to be a guaranteed first-round pick who could be selected anywhere from No.8 to No.20 overall. Curry will likely be a point guard in the NBA. He showed he could play the position in his junior season at Davidson, where he led the Southern Conference in scoring, assists and steals.
Dell Curry said he and the rest of the family were now “leaving Steph alone to make the decision.” Asked if his son – the NCAA’s leading scorer in 2008-09 with a 28.6-per-game average – was stressed about the impending decision, Dell said he didn’t believe so.
“Steph couldn’t hit the golf ball as well as he is doing right now if he was stressed,” Dell Curry said. Dell and Stephen played golf Saturday. Stephen, despite not playing since August, shot a 78 to his father’s 79.
“I can confirm that, at least,” Dell Curry said, “but that’s about all I can confirm right now. He just hasn't decided yet." The decision has to be made by Sunday. Curry is in class as usual at Davidson today.
Although Curry could put his name in the NBA draft and then pull it out if he doesn't hire an agent, Stephen Curry told me recently that he doubted that would be the road he would take. "I'll either do it or I won't," Curry said. Stephen Curry could not be reached for comment Monday.
Stephen Curry also played in an intramural softball game Sunday with some of his Davidson basketball teammates. McKillop went to watch. “Steph is a tremendous shortstop in the Derek Jeter mold,” McKillop said, laughing, “and he hit some screaming line drives. Maybe he’s thinking about going pro in the wrong sport.”
Davidson plans a press conference on campus once Curry decides to jump to the NBA or not. The school’s sports information office has been flooded with calls this morning due to the website report but –- after consulting with McKillop -- has not scheduled a press conference.
Sunday's "Declaration Day" deadline also looms for North Carolina's Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington, who are generally expected to choose to join senior teammates Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green in the 2009 draft.
McKillop is on the road recruiting today but is scheduled to return late tonight. He will be on the Davidson campus most of the rest of the week. It’s very likely the coach would be involved in any press conference Stephen Curry had.
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Watch for Scott's column on Curry and his decision in Tuesday's Observer.
DEAR DELL & SONYA CURRY: From this article's description and from everything that I've read, your son Steph is having a great time these days as a Davidson student ... perhaps the last vestiges of his relatively carefree youth. Relatedly,the reason that his basketball game has always been so exciting to watch owes to the enthusiasm, innocence, and FUN that can only be known and shown by the truly young at heart! Please, please encourage Steph to enjoy his senior year at Davidson, to get his degree from that very fine school, and to keep basketball fun for one more year. Then he can trade it all in for work-on-the-road, boarding buses and planes for roadtrips and strange hotels with a bunch of much older, sometimes jaded basketball professionals. STEPH CURRY HAS INSPIRED MILLIONS OF BASKETBALL-PLAYING YOUNGSTERS WHO NOW NEED FOR HIM TO SHOW THEM THAT GETTING A COLLEGE DEGREE IS ALWAYS PRIORITY #1. We all recognize that the big NBA money and serious ball-playing work can wait one more year; and who knows ... maybe in the meantime Steph might just lead the Davidson team to The Final Four in 2010! Sign me "A Big Fan of Steph Curry & His Family"
Just wanted to second Carl's comment entirely - I'm a big fan of Steph's and I would be thrilled to see him return to Davidson for one more year, but I'll remain a fan regardless of his decision. He's a role model for student-athletes and I commend his parents for leading him to value both basketball as well as his education.
I sit in the home end zone at all Wildcat basketball games and cannot but agree wholeheartedly with Carl. Steph, please give the Davidson fans one more year of your superb skills and leadership to the team. You will create another year of excitement in Davidson as well as surpass Pistol Pete Maravitch's NCAA scoring record, get your degree and and your jersey in the rafters at Belk Arena. Bless You!! Dave
As a Davidson resident:
I would be shocked if Stephen goes pro. Although I have not had the pleasure to meet him, his brother or father personally, I have had the pleasure to meet his mother; Sonya, who owns a Monisourri school in Lake Norman. Based on that meeting, I can tell you this family is a Class act and a true asset to our community.
What ever decision(s) he makes will be the right one for him--and the rest of us don't need to sweat it. Knowing the up bringing that this fine young man has had and the importance that his parents have placed on education, I would be shocked if he fails to graduate from Davidson.
No matter mine or any of "our" opinions; this young man is a self made MAN who happens to be very talented at the game of basketball and very academically gifted. He is completely capable of making his own decision(s) and leaving his mark on this world in which ever field/sport/charity of his chosing.
Media, please leave this young man alone and let him decide which fork in the road--he wants to take--we will all support your decision and have enjoyed the fun you have brought our small town in recent years.
Steph hope to see ya at the Soda Shop next year!!!
Dell and Sonya--Great Job, I can only hope my wife and myself can do as good of a job with our current 4 year old as you did with your fine two young men. Hats off.
Scott Mc
As a Davidson resident:
I would be shocked if Stephen goes pro. Although I have not had the pleasure to meet him, his brother or father personally, I have had the pleasure to meet his mother; Sonja, who owns a Monisourri school in Lake Norman. Based on that meeting, I can tell you this family is a Class act and a true asset to our community.
What ever decision(s) he makes will be the right one for him--and the rest of us don't need to sweat it. Knowing the up bringing that this fine young man has had and the importance that his parents have placed on education, I would be shocked if he fails to graduate from Davidson.
No matter mine or any of "our" opinions; this young man is a self made man who happens to be very talented. He is completely capable of making his own decision(s) and leaving his mark on this world in which ever field/sport/charity of his chosing.
Leave the young man alone and let him decide which fork in the road--he wants to take. See ya at the Soda Shop
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