Stephen Curry was the king of the campus once again when the Golden State Warriors star returned to his alma mater Davidson College on Wednesday.
Curry, who attended the school from 2006 to 2009, was honored with a solo graduation ceremony from the North Carolina college, which also retired the athlete’s jersey during his visit. The 34-year-old graduate completed his degree in May, 13 years after he exited the college for the NBA draft. Davidson presented Curry with his diploma, a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
In addition to his academic achievements, Curry was also honored for his athletic excellence, as Davidson retired his no. 30 jersey during Wednesday’s festivities.
According to WBTV, Curry is the first player to have their jersey retired at Davidson College.
Davidson enlisted the entire school’s community for the event, with thousands attending Curry’s one-man graduation ceremony. The NBA MVP was joined by family and friends to celebrate the major milestone, including his father Dell Curry, who took the podium on Wednesday. “This is awesome, man,” Dell said at the podium. “This is good stuff here. Coach, this might be the best day ever to be a Wildcat!”
Stephen Curry Graduates College 13 Years After Leaving for the NBA: ‘Had to See It Through’
A star from the start on the Davidson basketball team, Stephen helped catapult the Davidson Wildcats all the way to the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. He joined the Warriors as the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, where he has remained since.
Davidson had been planning a special event for Curry since May, when he completed the courses necessary to graduate. Davidson shared a congratulatory post on social media addressed to Curry, and relayed that the school looked forward to an opportunity where the athlete could be presented with his diploma in person.
Stephen and Ayesha Curry Launch Initiative to Support His Alma Mater Davidson College’s Female Athletes
Curry and Davidson have maintained a strong relationship since his years as a student. Last summer, the NBA star announced that he and his wife, Ayesha Curry, are establishing the Curry Family Women’s Athletics Initiative at his alma mater. Curry said the initiative will be “aimed at helping close the inequity gap in women’s sports.”
“Davidson College is where it all started for me, and it no doubt prepared me for leadership and service. I’m forever grateful for the unwavering support from the entire Davidson community,” the father of three said in a video on social media.
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“The reason I am who I am today is also because of strong, powerful women that have poured into my life all these years,” he continued, noting the initiative “hits home” because of his daughters, Riley, 9, and 6-year-old Ryan. Stephen and Ayesha are also parents to 3-year-old son Canon. “Now as the father of two girls, I want them to grow up without any boundaries on their futures,” the athlete said.
Stephen and Ayesha’s scholarship endowment will be focused on elevating the 10 women’s programs and over 200 female student-athletes at Davidson. “By granting access to additional resources and creating more opportunities for women, we hope to uplift, empower, and foster an unbiased society that leads to a better world,” he concluded.
