Dell Curry recently sat down with The Charlotte Observer, where he spoke about a variety of topics. As expected, one of these topics revolved around his superstar son, Stephen Curry. He spoke fondly of how both his sons, Steph and Seth Curry used to come with him to practice. Having played 16 seasons in the NBA, Dell inspired his sons to emulate him and work toward becoming NBA professionals. However, as Dell revealed in an interview, Steph was very close to quitting basketball in high school. Fortunately, Dell was able to convince his son to stay the course, as Steph is now just 110 threes away from hitting a major NBA milestone.

Jun 16, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and his father Dell Curry pose with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after defeating the Boston Celtics in game six of the 2022 NBA Finals at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Dell Curry convinced his son Stephen Curry not to quit basketball in high school

During his sophomore year in high school, Stephen Curry divulged his plans to his father, Dell Curry. The soon-to-be three-point shooting specialist told his father that he wanted to play college basketball. A big goal for Steph, who at the time stood at a measly 5’8″ and weighed around 115 pounds.

However, this obvious lack of size did not deter Dell. He believed in his son and was ready to do whatever it took to help him achieve his dreams. This included informing him to change up his shot and teaching him how to do it. But things didn’t go as smoothly as he had hoped.

Struggling with practice, Steph found it difficult to change his shot. It even reached a point where the youngster had had enough. So much so that he considered quitting the game of basketball and even told Dell about it. Fortunately, the former Charlotte Hornets star convinced his son to endure, and now, looking back, he is glad that Steph trusted him.

“It was tough. He’s like, “I can’t do it. It’s too hard.” But thank goodness, he trusted old dad.”

Fast forward to 2023, and it’s a good thing that Steph listened to his father. Now, he is widely considered the greatest three-point shooter of all time and one of the top players in NBA history. He is also just 110 threes away from becoming the first player with 3,500 three-pointers in the NBA.

Bob McKillop was crucial in developing Steph into the player he is today

Dell Cury definitely played an important part in Stephen Curry’s growth as a player. But, even Dell has to make way for Bob McKillop. In the same interview with The Charlotte Observer, Dell spoke about how important McKillop was to the development of Steph. He recalled how he only ever saw his son as a solid NBA player, but McKillop, who coached Steph at Davidson, saw something more.

He trusted Steph from the start of his freshman year and knew immediately that he was destined to be an NBA superstar. He even told Dell the same thing after seeing Steph’s shooting form. Some may even say he is the reason why Chef Curry is lighting up the NBA.

It’s hard to imagine what the league would look like without Steph in it. After all, he revolutionized the game of basketball with his exceptional shooting. Luckily, we don’t have to think about that, and we have his elders to thank for the same.