To the delight of Golden State Warriors fans and basketball enthusiasts everywhere—and to the surprise of practically no one—superstar Stephen Curry will be named the NBA MVP for the second straight year, according to ESPN.com sources.
Curry, who is anxiously awaiting his return to the court—the Golden State Warriors take on the Portland Trailblazers for Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs tonight—has been called the new face of the NBA. To have a player who is such a positive role model as he leads both on and off the court is a welcome inspiration.
Curry has been a longtime friend of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (www.fca.org) and is featured on the cover of the new May/June 2016 issue of FCA magazine. And as he preps for his return to playoff action, Curry will undoubtedly carry with him the values of FCA: integrity (demonstrating Christ-like wholeness), serving (modeling Jesus’ example), teamwork (expressing unity in Christ in all relationships) and excellence (honoring and glorifying God in everything).
“We at Fellowship of Christian Athletes couldn’t be happier for Stephen Curry on his second straight NBA MVP honor,” said FCA magazine editor Clay Meyer. “It’s especially heartwarming to know that a basketball star as powerful as Curry can also be grounded in his faith and in his commitment as a teammate, father and community leader. Here at FCA, we love to tell the amazing stories of those who have put Christ first in their lives and have kept biblical principles and FCA values at the forefronts of their careers. Stephen Curry is a tremendous example to kids and gives them a godly and positive role model to follow. We couldn’t agree more that he is the ‘new face of the NBA,’ and we’re honored once again to feature one of the biggest names in all of sports in FCA magazine and tell his awesome story to fans around the world.”
In the most recent magazine, Curry tells FCA, “I’m not a guy who’s going to be trying to bash people over the head with the Bible,” he says. “I want people to know when they see me play that something is different, that I play for something different, and whether I’m talking about it [or not], I just hope by the way I carry myself and by the way I play the game, they can see there’s something different about that guy. And they find out what it is and then they know. It’s part of who I am.”
For a time during the 2015-16 season, it seemed like Golden State would never lose. The Warriors started a record 24-0, reached 50 wins (in their 55th game) faster than any team in history and secured a postseason berth on Feb. 27—seven weeks before the start of the playoffs, the earliest playoff-clinching date ever. And all along, they chased the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular-season wins, achieving No. 73 April 13—the final regular-season game.
“I dreamed about being an NBA player and being successful,” Curry says, “but I never thought I’d get this far or understand the situation going on right now. It’s been a whirlwind.”
Curry calls his faith “my driving force.” It’s both the anchor and rudder for his life as he navigates the remarkable but often perilous journey of being a famous athlete.
“I’ve always been a believer that the Lord has put whatever talent in you, [and] whatever gift He has put in you, He wants you to get the most out of that,” Curry says. “He wants you to succeed. He wants you to pursue and work and be passionate about it. It’s not about getting any of the glory for yourself; it’s all for His [glory]. That’s where you have to keep perspective. Work at it and do all you can so you get the most out of yourself, but do it for His will.”