Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry has a million accolades to his name. Two-time MVP. Four-time champion. The all-time leader in threes made. A Finals MVP. A nine-time All-Star. And, as of very recently, a nine-time All-NBA selection.
Just to name a few.
And he just added another accolade to his name. It may not be as shiny, or standout as much on eventual resume in the Hall of Fame, but it might mean almost as much to him, given how much he talks about wanting his legacy to extend beyond basketball.
On Thursday, Curry was announced as the 2022-23 winner of the Professional Basketball Writers Association J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.
The PBWA describes the award as being “Named after the NBA’s second commissioner, the honor is presented annually by the PBWA to a player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.” In a press release, they highlighted the work of Steph and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, his discussions regarding equality when meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during the Warriors trip to the White House, and his frequent willingness to meet with fans all over the country.
The president of the PBWA, Howard Beck, was quoted in the press release as saying, “Few athletes have as great a reach or as powerful a platform as Steph Curry, and he has used it to the fullest to benefit others. The members of the Professional Basketball Writers Association salute him and the other nominees for their exemplary work.”
It wasn’t a season fully devoid of controversy for Curry, who got caught up in the FTX crypto controversy, and drew criticism for his NIMBY stance regarding housing plans in Atherton, where he lives.
But even his harshest critics will concede that he did far more good than bad in the community, taking time all year to meet with fans, promote equality and equity, and work tirelessly on community outreach and philanthropic projects.
Curry is the first Warriors player to win the award, which was introduced for the 1974-75 seasons. The other finalists this year were Wenyen Gabriel of the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Grant Williams of the Boston Celtics.
