Steph Curry is a decorated player with three championships already under his belt. This may make you wonder why he involves himself in three-star high school basketball programs. In this article, he explains his support for UNDERRATED and his vision for the future of American basketball.
A Chance To Write His Own Story
Steph Curry started his basketball career as a student-athlete at Queensway Christian College in Toronto, where his dad Dell played in the NBA for the Raptors.
Steph led his team to win the provincial championship as one of their starters.
Their family then transferred to Charlotte, where he enrolled in Charlotte Christian School, winning them three conference titles and three playoffs appearances.
Steph wanted to play for Virginia Tech, but the team only gave him a walk-on spot because of his slender frame. Therefore, he played for Davidson College instead, where he earned the most outstanding player award in the Midwest Region in his sophomore year.
Like the student-athletes of UNDERRATED, Steph Curry suffered from a basketball stereotype that claimed he could not perform well because he was not tall and strong. However, he proved everyone wrong with his more than stellar performance during his high school, college, and professional careers.
“I was one of those kids growing up who was told my skills on the basketball court made me a 3-star athlete. I didn’t fit the mold, and recruiters couldn’t see past the box they put me in. In every way, this experience led me to where I am today. It’s about giving these kids the opportunity to write their own story.” – Steph Curry
What Is the UNDERRATED Tour?
UNDERRATED is Steph Curry’s way to break existing basketball stereotypes.
Now on its third season, the UNDERRATED Tour has been a platform led by Steph Curry to increase the exposure of underrepresented student-athletes. As a sports platform, the UNDERRATED Tour increases the visibility of student-athletes in three-star high schools.
Throughout the summer of 2021, the UNDERRATED Tour stopped in four cities (Washington D.C., Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles), where 75 boys and 75 girls were given a chance to learn and break through the noise.
The final 64 participants (16 from each city) were flown to the Bay Area for the Championship.
Rakuten added two $20,000 scholarship opportunities for Championship-bound players that can be used toward the college, university, or trade school of their choice.
Players submitted essays describing their underrated stories and its impact on their lives, which was reviewed by a panel of curated sports and industry professionals.
Two lucky recipients, one boy, and one girl, were selected to receive scholarships. The winners were announced at the UNDERRATED Tour Championship Stop in Oakland.
For more information on the UNDERRATED Tour, please visit www.stayunderrated.com.
