In this segment of the Highly Questionable podcast, NBA star Stephen Curry joins hosts Bomby Jones, Dan Le Batard, and Papi (Bomby’s father) for a relaxed, anecdotal conversation. Curry recounts recent experiences of being carded, recalling an embarrassing movie‑theater incident from his teens. He reflects on a pivotal moment of self‑doubt during his senior year of high school when scholarship offers were scarce, describing the uncertainty of the recruiting process. The discussion turns to his most painful rejection: Virginia Tech, his father’s alma mater, which offered only a red‑shirt walk‑on spot, prompting Curry to express lingering frustration. Curry also shares family‑related stories, including his mother’s enthusiastic presence at games and a memorable childhood fight with his brother Seth over a borrowed chair that landed them both in the principal’s office. The hosts briefly touch on a near‑miss shot against Kansas that could have altered his college trajectory. Throughout, Curry’s tone is candid, humorous, and reflective, offering insight into the personal challenges that shaped his path to NBA stardom.
Chapters
Joining us in the kitchen today on behalf of Dégret du Mor is Stephen Curry.
You know the Golden State star. Bomani Jones loved this guy in college. Let's get to know the All-Star a little bit better. Tell us, give us some of the details of the last time you were carded.
Uh, last time I was carded, probably a week ago, buying a drink.
Well, you have a goatee now. They gotta just be messing with you when they card you, right?
I don't even know if this counts.
But has there ever been a time where you've been just a little bit embarrassed by it? Because I remember we've talked about you being carded at a movie theater, which is fairly ridiculous, Steph. It wasn't that long ago, and movie theater, what is it, 17 years old?
Yes, that was the one that hurt. I guess I went with the baby face, clean shaven and all that, and didn't go my way, you know, just trying to buy a ticket to go see a movie. That was probably the most embarrassing when I didn't even know where my ID was at that point because I wasn't expecting it.
Well, do you still think about that last possession against Kansas to go to the Final Four?
All the time. I talk to my guy Jason Riches, who took the shot. It was the right play at the moment. And, you know, obviously if that would have went down, that would have changed a lot of things for us. It was the longest 15 seconds of my life. And, you know, obviously didn't work out, but no regrets of how it played out.
If I asked you to go back to the time in your life or your career when you doubted the most or you had the least confidence, what would you point to? What is the time in your life you'd point to and say, "I was least confident then"?
The beginning of my senior year in high school. I hadn't gotten really many scholarship offers. And I grew up in Charlotte, so I'm right there in ACC country, and really no teams were coming. And at that point, I got a little down, 'cause you see guys that you play against all the time signing letters to go to major D1 schools and all that, and I was still kind of in the whole recruiting process and just had to let it unfold and know I would end up where I was supposed to and hopefully get a chance to play some D1 basketball and make it happen.
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Was it particularly frustrating that Virginia Tech, your father's alma mater, did not offer you a scholarship?
Yeah, because they were one of the first ones to call, and then nothing ever happened. And it kind of added insult to injury telling, you know, I can— you can come on and redshirt and, you know, pay your own way to school your first year and redshirt, and we'll see what we can do your second year. So it's kind of like, we like you but don't really believe, you know, that much in you. To offer you a full scholarship now. So we play that wait-and-see game.
Is that the rejection that hurt the most? Va Tech, would you like to tell them to eat it right now on television?
Feel free. No, that definitely hurt the most. Like you said, it was my dad's alma mater. It was a school that I wanted to go to growing up, obviously to follow in my pop's footsteps. And the fact that they called so early in the recruiting process, I was like a giddy kid, like, yeah, this is all going to happen. God had different plans for me.
But say it, Steph. Go ahead and say it. Go ahead and just say— I mean, you did, kind of, but just say it. Eat it, Vontae.
Seth Greenberg, he knows. I've had plenty of conversations with him, so he knows.
Seth works here now. We can't do that. No, let me ask you this. How tired do you get of hearing all these strangers talking about your mother?
Oh, man, that's the worst. I mean, obviously, she's definitely a beautiful lady, and I guess the apple didn't fall too far from the tree. But, you know, she definitely gets her TV time when she comes and supports myself and my brother at our games. So, I mean, hey, I'll take it in stride. You just be respectful about it. You don't have to, you know, talk too much trash.
Well, that had to be murder in high school, though. Nobody wants to be the dude in high school with the pretty mama. That's hard living.
That and them telling me my dad paid off the refs. One of the two insults is like, uh, growing up in Charlotte, right where they made their name.
Give us the details of the most legendary fight you ever had with your brother growing up. Give us the famous details in the house.
Uh, well, we went to the same school, um, and we're in the same class, actually. It was like a Montessori-style school, so a lot of different ages together. So it had nothing to do with sports. I borrowed his chair to stand on to grab a book from the third shelf, and he was really protective of his stuff, and he was mad that I stole his chair. So he came over, pushed me off the chair. We both got sent to the principal's office, which happened to be my beautiful mother. Got sent home to where we got whoopings from our dads. So terrible day.
Steph, my father wants in here. Go ahead, Papi.
Have you ever been embarrassed by your mom's beautiful dance move in the crowd?
She gets the old shoulders moving. She's got rhythm, so she—
You hate it.
She gives that TV time, so she definitely makes sure.
You hate it so much.
My dad just did that to you. I can't believe that's so wrong what my dad did. You just said you didn't want him to talk about it. You just said that. I'm sorry on behalf of my father. I'm sorry, Steph. Thank you for being so nice.
