Steph Curry has been battling a gauntlet of injuries in the past few weeks. He is still dealing with the aftermath of knee tendinitis he experienced in December 2024 while working with a left ankle sprain coming into the end of January 2025. Despite concerns about his ability to perform in the next game, Curry continues to hit the court and rally for Dub Nation.
Critics call this a futile cause, with Curry exacerbating symptoms as he carries the Golden State Warriors on his aching shoulders. Still, the situation is nothing new for the NBA star as he strides through the regular season. Curry has had his fair share of physical challenges that he has proudly looked back on as a stepping stone to greatness. If these footnotes in his career are anything to go on, it seems like he may still be on track to beat the odds.
Failing the eye test before the NBA
Visual acuity is one of the most valuable aspects of any professional sports player, which is why it often surprises basketball fans to learn The Chef himself initially failed the eye test as a budding young player. Of course, it’s important to note in this context that the eye test does not purely exist in the same way it would in a medical facility. In basketball, this involves watching the game and gaining crucial insights into players and the game based on visual assessment.
While Curry has always displayed a keen sense for the game, he has also had a long-standing battle with keratoconus. This condition makes the cornea thinner and causes the eye to bulge, distorting and blurring vision. Getting an eye exam can help identify the symptoms and development of this condition, which is crucial in preventing complications and severe progression. Using tests on refraction, eye muscle coordination, visual acuity, and thorough examination of the internal and external structures of the eye, optometrists can detect problem areas that need to be addressed. This kind of intervention has allowed Curry to flourish as a shooter despite having keratoconus, with the star player using prescription scleral lenses to prevent blurriness, double vision, and light sensitivity.
A history of injuries and missed shots
The recent leg issues aren’t the first time injuries have posed a hurdle for the Golden State Warriors golden boy. Curry has suffered so many aches and pains in his shoulders, ankles, hips, and knees that he has had several surgeries and physical rehabilitation stints to get back into peak form. What’s most inspiring about this is how he used these opportunities to get back into health, exceed his limits, and reach greater heights.
While others may accept defeat and hang up the towel, Curry has seen every challenge and failure as a means to rise above. This is evident in his journey to becoming one of the greatest shooters to grace the league. On shot statistics alone, we see how Curry misses more than half of all the shots he takes on average. In a stunning display of how perspective and perseverance work hand in hand, this statistic remains true, along with the fact that he has the highest career free throw percentage in NBA history at a whopping 91.1%.
In his very first game, his performance was lackluster, and his FG percentage was middling. Instead of giving up, he went on to become one of the most notorious 3-point shooters in the NBA’s regular season. Today, Curry is an indispensable player who famously bounced back from a low FG game by sinking more than a dozen 3-pointers in a single game.
Overpowering the ‘Undersized’ label
Towering at 6’3”, Steph Curry is one of the last people you would call short. That said, he was considered undersized for the league at the beginning of his professional career. Despite his height, his frame was on the smaller side for his overall proportions. Add his wing span to the mix, and you’ve got a label that once made experts underestimate his ability to perform as a point guard and shooting guard.
It’s funny to think that he is now widely considered one of the best players to fill those roles in recent memory. Of course, Curry also bulked up in weight and strength to overcome this perceived limitation. From being considered a ‘small’ player, he is now among the most popular NBA players with huge endorsement deals. With collaborations with Under Armour, Chase, and Infinite Motors, he has raked in about $50 million as a marketable player.
His remarkable tenacity and commitment have also made him one of the most loyal players in the league, sticking by his team while others have since jumped again and again. Through any ups and downs, Steph Curry has maintained a golden state of mind, leading him to greatness. So, who’s to say it won’t help him overcome the odds again this season and beyond?
Main Image: – Erik Drost under CC BY 2.0 License, no changes were made to the image
