Stephen Curry has long been regarded as the best shooter the game of basketball has ever seen. Now it’s official.
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The Golden State Warriors superstar became the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers Tuesday night when he sank the 2,974th of his career, in a 105-96 win over the Knicks at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. The 33-year-old Curry passed Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who flew in to watch the game in person.
The record-breaking shot came with 7:33 left in the first quarter as Curry hit from the right wing.
"STEPHEN CURRY…THE ALL-TIME THREE-POINT KING IN THE NBA."
History.#NBA75 pic.twitter.com/8SawFh2QFk
— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2021
Also in attendance was Reggie Miller, who sits in third place all time for 3-pointers (2,560), as he was on the broadcast for Turner Sports. After the game, Miller and Allen gave Curry a Warriors jersey featuring the number 2,974 on the back.
“Once I took the shot on the wing, it just felt good, looked good — it felt like we were at home (with all the fans cheering),” Curry said in his postgame press conference, adding, “It was a special moment, for sure, that I appreciate and I’ll remember for the rest of my life, in terms of what it means to me to pass Ray. Him and Reggie [Miller], guys I’ve looked up to coming into the game. Definitely special.”
While playing with a wristband on his left wrist that says “In Jesus’ Name I Play,” Curry finished the game with five 3-pointers and a team-high 22 points. The 23-5 Warriors own the best record in the NBA.
Prior to his press conference, Curry was celebrated by his teammates in the locker room.
“I appreciate everybody that’s had a part in me being who I am on the court, off the court,” Curry told his teammates and coaches. “This is a career milestone because of everybody that I got to suit up with, everybody that set screens for me, everybody that passed me the ball, everybody that believed in our offense, and believed in winning in the process. So this is truly special.
“We’ve got a lot more threes, a lot more wins, a lot more stuff to go, but I appreciate you all making this special because it’s been a long week trying to get over this milestone. Having Reggie and Ray here was special, but none more special than everybody in this locker room.”
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Said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in his postgame press conference, “Steph in the locker room was vintage Steph. Joyful, grateful. He talked to the team about how much they mean to him. How much the game means to him, the process. He is who he is; that’s the beauty of Steph. He’s so authentic. He’s so genuine. I thought the night was perfect. It just pretty much encapsulated who he is, and his reaction to it was perfect.”
Who Curry is has largely been shaped by his faith. He shared about his faith in depth two years ago in a Facebook series called “Stephen vs. The Game.”
“My faith is tested on the court as much as it is in life,” Curry said on the show. “It’s the part that always keeps me focused on what I need to do when it comes to my family, when it comes to my job, when it comes to how I treat other people, my appreciation for life and all the good things that happen and how to deal with the bad things that happen.”
Curry shared about his youth and attending Central Church of God in Charlotte, N.C., as a middle schooler.
“[Christianity] was more something that was important to my parents but I never really understood it,” he said of his childhood mindset. “It was a decision I needed to make for myself. I was kinda just going with the flow.”
Curry dedicated his life to Christ in the eighth grade at a youth service led by “Pastor Jason,” who made it clear that kids can’t live off their parents’ faith.
“It has to be something that you experience for yourself and a decision that you make for yourself,” Curry said. “So I felt the calling, went down to the altar, and gave my life to Christ. And that became the beginning of my own personal journey.”
He calls himself a “Believer” in his social media bios, where he also lists the Bible verse Philippians 4:13, which reads, “I can do all this through [Christ] who gives me strength.”
Curry will get his next chance to build on his 3-point record on Friday, when the Warriors face the Celtics in Boston on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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