Stephen Curry turns 31 today. With Year 30 behind him -- a “golden” birthday for No. 30 with big celebrations and media tie-ins -- I caught up with the Warriors star in Houston to hear his reflections on a special year.
The highlights of Year 30 included another NBA championship for the Warriors, accomplishing the feat in back-to back seasons. And his third child, a son named Canon, was born in July.
Here's our conversation:
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Q: What was Year 30 like?
SC: Pretty legendary, in terms of how it started. A year ago, we had the amazing party my wife threw … myself, the team, the whole organization, family. It was cool energy entering my 30s.
On and off the court, it’s been some great things. Having a son, winning a championship. I just want to continue to evolve, even through the ups and downs of this year. It’s been enlightening for sure in terms of me being comfortable with who I am, and what I am. Just trying to grow in that.
When it comes to enlightenment and your comfort in your own skin, how have you grown as a man?
Golden State Warriors
I wouldn’t say it was drastic. ... It was understanding who I am and being aware of the things around me. What I pour into myself. What I pay attention to. What moves me.
You start to really solidify the circle around you. The people who go on the journey with you ... that changes a lot over time. It’s been the peace among the chaos of what we do, the eyeballs on us as a team. The stress and pressures of playing at this level.
Do you feel the most solid you’ve ever felt as a person?
For sure. And I understand there’s always more room to grow. Getting challenged every single day. I try to protect my joy.
Protect your joy? What does that mean? Is it like casting off things that don’t enrich you?
It’s basically keeping the main things the main things. I like that saying because there’s so much that’s thrown at you that you can react to and get mad about, let it distract you. I try to stick to the stuff that makes me go, which is my faith, my family, my love to win.
And understand I’m not perfect by any stretch, so that’s the part that like ... you know that saying, “your s**t stinks too?” I’m confident in that. I’m not perfect.
What are the things you’re still hungry for?
I know that time is always ticking in the game of basketball. I want to win as much as I can for as long as I can, and do it with teammates that value it as much as I do.
At the end of the day, I never want to get to a place of complacency where the accomplishments we’ve had take the edge (away). That’s a constant battle.
Ayesha is turning 30 soon. When is her birthday?
The 23rd.
What is it like seeing 30 through [your wife’s] eyes? Because when I turned 30, that’s the first time I thought, "I’m an adult, I’m old."
It’s weird when you see someone you love turn 30 and you’ve known them since age 14 ... how she’s walking into this new stage of her life. I think she’s more on the “adult” part of what you just said. Everything has happened so fast in this last 10 years that we’ve been together in this environment. It’s about taking a second to self-check a little bit. She’s been pulled in so many different directions. We both have, in terms of what’s going on in our day-to-day lives.
One, we have to have a sense of appreciation, because it’s absolutely crazy to think about. And two, where do we go from here? Do you go into the motions of just letting things happen? Or do you take ownership of ... she calls it “protecting the peace.” It’s the same idea [as protecting the joy]. It’s eliminating as much of the chaos around you with the things that you can control. For her, that’s the goal. And it’s been cool to see.