The Truth About Steph And Seth Curry's Relationship
The name Stephen Curry has been ubiquitous since he led the Golden State Warriors to their fourth NBA championship in eight years. From completely letting loose at their championship parade to the countless hot takes that have resulted from his 2022 ring, Steph, fittingly, is the talk of the town. Yet, despite having more hardware and endorsement deals, his legacy cannot be told without also mentioning his younger brother, Seth.
It's no surprise the two were blessed with the gifts to make it to the next level, being they're both sons of former NBA player Dell Curry. What may be surprising, however, is how different their journeys have been and how much they depended on each other throughout. Unlike Steph, Seth didn't go in the first round of the NBA draft. He wasn't a highly touted prospect nor did he have an easy route onto a roster. Fast forward to now, and Seth is playing for the Brooklyn Nets, proving he has a place in the league just like his brother.
The closeness that they share is one of the factors of their success. From their competitive relationship to knowing the secret to stop the other, the duo's relationship is quite a tale. So here's the truth about Steph and Seth Curry's relationship.
It 'gets nasty' when they guard each other
Sports are competitive. Brothers are competitive. Mix the two with closeness in age, and you have the Curry household growing up: blood, sweat, tears — and nastiness. "For [most of] the year, I want [Steph Curry] to play well; I want to see them win," Seth Curry said while speaking on the podcast "All the Smoke." "But when we strap them up and play against each other, it's the opposite. I'm going out there, trying to shut him down. Want to see them lose. We're competing; it gets nasty. So, it's a weird dynamic."
But Seth's admission shouldn't be a surprise, given how heated things used to get during their driveway match-ups. "I was always close enough to where I felt like I could beat him, I felt like I was better than him, but I was never really there," Seth said. "That competitiveness was in any and everything growing up. It was heated; we were fighting. Mom had to come out in the backyard, break up a lot of fights."
And Seth's account of their battles checks out, as Steph has gone as far as to put a number on the number of fights they've had. "Oh, at least 15," he said on "The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins."
Seth Curry knows the secret to stop Steph
Steph Curry has been often described as un-guardable — understandable for the best shooter from 30-40 feet. When speaking about Steph, former Cavaliers and current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue said, "He's so dangerous, probably the most dangerous player in the league the way he can get hot," per SI. But apparently, all the team needed was younger brother Seth. When asked in a GQ Sports video who plays the best defense against him, Steph Curry said, "Honestly, my brother, because he knows my game so well, and there's always that kind of vibe of him disarming me when I'm out there cause I feel like I'm so proud to see my brother out there on the court. I kinda get lost in that moment."
While Seth is not known for his defensive prowess – he's more of a three-point specialist like his brother — it was evidenced in 2019, when they became the first set of brothers to compete in the conference finals.
They have two NBA legends as father figures
Everyone knows Steph and Seth Curry's father, Dell Curry — an ex-NBA vet who was drafted in his first round, played 16 seasons, and won NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 1994. His influence on his sons' game is evident, as both have taken after their dad in becoming elite three-point marksmen in their own right. But that's why the third generation of Currys might be even scarier.
Seth is married to Callie Rivers, daughter of Philadelphia 76ers head coach and former NBA player Doc Rivers. They have two young children, Carter and Cash. Steph Curry already has three children – Riley, Ryan, and baby brother Canon. Sister Sydel Curry-Lee, married to NBA player Damion Lee, had her own baby boy, Daxon, in 2021. This family is firmly entrenched in the game, so once this third generation grows up, they could be well on their way to establishing an even bigger basketball dynasty.
The brothers are each other's biggest supporters
With all that's been said about how competitive things have always been between Stephen Curry and his brother Seth Curry, they are actually each other's biggest supporters, and the two have a warm, loving relationship. Case in point: When Steph won his fourth NBA championship after the 2021-2022 season. After not landing a Finals MVP in previous years, Steph managed to take the coveted trophy home thanks to his stellar play against the Boston Celtics. Afterward, Seth sent out a viral tweet: "Don't talk about Steph again unless it's in a convo with the [all-]time great PLAYERS!! And i mean a [handful] of people to ever touch a basketball."
Steph is the same way. He's always asked about his brother when they play against each other, and each time he makes sure to praise him. After a game where Steph ended up scoring only one more than Seth, who had been shooting career-high averages at the time, he didn't fail to hail him yet again. "That dude is playing unbelievable basketball, and it's fun to watch. He's continued to get better," Curry said, via NBC Sports. Beautiful.
Seth's journey to the NBA was different than Steph's
Seth Curry is the starting shooting guard for the Brooklyn Nets. While not an all-star, he holds the second spot in three-point shooting percentage — of all time. Ironically, the man who bests him is brother Steph's coach, Steve Kerr. Yet, while Seth now has a formidable role in the NBA, his journey was not as smooth as his older brother's.
While Stephen Curry was drafted in the top 10 in 2009's NBA draft, Seth wasn't picked up at all. In fact, he had to spend time in the developmental league during his first couple of seasons via a non-guaranteed contract with his older brother's affiliate team. When talking to Draymond Green on "The Draymond Green Show," he said, "I think sometimes those connections can get you in the door, but there comes a time where you have to produce every day, you have to bring value or they're going to get you out of there."
And he's right, as he hustled his way onto the Sacramento Kings official NBA roster. Then, after two separate stints with the Dallas Mavericks, he played for the Sixers and ultimately wound up on the Nets, proving that two brothers making it in the NBA at such an elite level is pretty rare.
First brothers to compete in a conference finals
The ultimate test for Seth Curry's NBA success was competing against his all-star older brother in a playoff series. It's no surprise they became the first pair of brothers to compete in the conference finals back in 2019 when the Portland Trailblazers took on the Golden State Warriors, given they do everything in record-breaking fashion. "It was a special moment not only for us, but our family to be able to watch us play at the highest level in the playoffs, and compete for an opportunity to go to the Finals," he during a Q&A series on Twitter. "It was a little weird competing against him and having to guard him, but it's our job it was a memory that's priceless and hopefully we can meet again at that stage."
While Stephen Curry would end up dazzling amid a Warriors sweep, no one will forget the brotherly moments. Like in Game 2 when, after having scored 16 straight points, including four steals (three of which came against Steph), Seth found his older brother being a tattletale, pointing out to a referee that he had mishandled the ball — which was just another example of their relentless competitiveness on display.
Seth has tried to jinx Steph
Both Stephen and Seth Curry have a calm disposition about them and are stand-up citizens, so it might be difficult imagining them having "nasty" battles. But if you want further proof that their sibling rivalry is real, look no further than Game 2 of 2019's Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trailblazers when Seth tried to jinx his older brother, Steph Curry.
Seth's team was actually up 108-107, with the game down to its last two minutes. That was, however, before his brother's two free-throw attempts to tie the game. After Steph nails the first free throw to tie the game at 108, Seth whispered in his ear. "I told him he made the first one, I told him that's like 70 in a row. I tried to jinx him a little bit," Seth laughed to reporters after the game. "He's like, 'Alright, it's going to be 72.' He made 'em both, so he wasn't fazed." Steph's team won, and he outscored Seth in the process.
They were not born in the same state
For as much as Steph and Seth Curry have in common — from them both playing basketball and being three-point superstars — it may be surprising that they weren't born in the same state. In fact, Steph was born in the same hospital as LeBron James: Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio. Seth, on the other hand, was born where they grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. So how did it happen?
Per Bleacher Report, Steph's dad, Dell Curry, played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1987-88 season, the same time his wife, Sonya, gave birth to Steph. If you ask Steph today, he'll tell you he was born in Akron and raised in Charlotte, so he still reps North Carolina to the fullest. In fact, he reportedly wanted to own a piece of the Carolina Panthers, before the NBA got involved.
LeBron James, however, takes pride in sharing his Akron roots with another great. "That's already self-explanatory," is what the all-star Laker forward said when asked if it was being born Akron that made Steph such an amazing player. And while that answer may come off as arrogant, no one can deny the impossible odds of two champions being born in the same hospital.
Steph and Seth Curry have a third 'brother'
Everyone knows Seth Curry is Stephen Curry's younger brother. They also have a sister, Sydel. But few have likely heard of his other "brother," Chris Strachan. He isn't as athletic as the Currys, but per The Athletic, he's just like blood and is able to converse about the game on the same level.
Chris "COSeezy" Strachan has been a family friend and loyal aid to the Curry brothers throughout their lives ever since befriending Seth. "I would say it's as if we came out the same womb," Strachan said. "They mean everything to me. Watching Steph play ball, it's one my favorite things to do. And the same way with Seth. I love those dudes to the death. They're not basketball players to me at all. We're brothers for real."
Strachan winded up going to Liberty University because they were offering unique opportunities for people of color and, although he didn't make the basketball team, took a job editing highlights on the team. That's when he caught wind of Steph Curry, who was playing at Davidson, and was given the assignment to recruit Seth Curry. He not only landed Seth at Liberty University, but they became best buds.
They're church boys
To truly get a sense of Seth and Steph Curry's relationship with each other, it's important to know that faith plays a big part in their lives. Both brothers are close to their mother, Sonya Curry, who ran a Christian Montessori school in North Carolina. "From the beginning, my mom has been a rock of encouragement, faith, discipline, and gratitude for me and my siblings," said Stephen in a statement to People.
Likewise, Seth says he always puts God first. "Jesus Christ is definitely number one in my life," Seth said to Christian Broadcasting Network. "I mean, Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and He's done a lot for all of us by dying on the cross. So no matter what you do in life, just do it to the best of your ability and know you're blessed."
Their faith is an important part of understanding who the two are and what they do. For example, Steph taps his chest and points to the sky after sinking a three-point shot — a gesture that even his daughter has picked up on. However, that dates back to his mom's influence. "Back in college my freshman year, my mom and I started that ... Basically means 'have a heart for God.' It keeps the perspective for me why I play the game and where my strength comes from," he said.