“I Started Stuttering Because I Was All Nervous”: Stephen Curry Had an Unexpected Encounter With Danica Patrick and Golf Legend Annika Sorenstam in 2008

Before he became an NBA phenom, Stephen Curry was lighting it up for Davidson College. Being the son of former Sixth Man of the Year, Dell Curry, expectations were high on Steph. However, he started to meet them straightaway in his college days. In his sophomore year itself, he had set an NCAA record for three-pointers scored in a season. Now, over 15 years later, Steph has won almost everything that the NBA has to offer. And this off-season, we saw the 35-year-old indulge in a whole different sport.

Apart from basketball, his golfing prowess is well-known among the NBA fanbase. He used to love the activity when he was in college, too. So, when he met a golfing legend back in his Davidson days, he was star-struck. 

Young Stephen Curry touches seventh heaven

The Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, or ESPY, Award Show isn’t just an opportunity to give top athletes their flowers. It’s also a unique moment where stars from various sports all share the same room. For young Stephen Curry, this led to a moment of pure disbelief.

Steph was nominated for the ESPY Awards in 2008.  He had already captured the imagination of the nation through his stellar NCAA March Madness performances and was in an elevator at the venue of the function in Los Angeles. To his astonishment, golfing phenom Annika Sorenstam and car racing legend Danica Patrick entered the elevator too. They knew who Curry was instantly and greeted him with a hello.

This made the young Curry go over the moon.

He was emerging as one of the nation’s top young athletes and had earlier received endorsements from the likes of LeBron James. But he was still a young college boy and was overwhelmed at being recognized by two legends. 

In his words, “Here are two great-looking ladies I’d seen on TV. But I started stuttering because I was all nervous. My dad was laughing at me.” 

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This experience is understandable. Sorenstam is the most-winning female golfer of all time and has won ten major titles. As for Danica Patrick, she had a huge reputation, too. She is the only woman to have won an Indy car racing series when she clinched the title during the 2008 Indy Japan 300.

But Steph and Sorenstam have a whole different bond. The Warriors sharpshooter has grown up admiring her since he himself loved golfing and his dad, Dell Curry, had him involved in the sport from a young age. Now, he is set to share the turf with one of his idols. 

Sorenstam and Curry will play in a golfing tournament soon

From having his breath taken away to playing in the same tournament as her, Curry is living life a dream life. Annika and Steph will be soon participating in the American Century Championship. The Stellar Guard participated in the event last year too. The tournament features the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Zach LaVine in a stacked field. 

This has been a busy golfing summer for the sharpshooter. He had teamed up with Klay Thompson in the highly anticipated event, The Match, where he lost to Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in an upset.

As he continues his love of golf, the memory of meeting legends Annika and Danica during his college days rings loud. 

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