“I Was Afraid”: Sonya Curry Reveals Dangerous Side Of Being An NBA Mom To Stephen Curry

“Yeah, this is not one of those lifestyles that you envy.” These words, uttered by Michael Jordan in The Last Dance, highlighted a truth about NBA players: fame comes at a cost. It envelops not only the players’ lives but also their families, leaving privacy almost nonexistent. Few understand this better than Sonya Curry, wife to a former NBA player and mother of two current stars, including Stephen Curry. The toll of fame has left its mark on her life.

During an appearance on The Travis Hearn Podcast to promote her book Fierce Love (published in 2022), Sonya reflected on the privacy struggles she has faced while raising star children. She admitted that public recognition had its perks, describing how she found it “exciting” when people praised her because of her kids. This motivated her to write her book. However, her challenging experiences in the spotlight also made her question whether publishing it was the right decision.

“This book is about all the fires that I had to go through, and I didn’t even really want to do this (points to book), because I was afraid that people would criticize it. And so, it kind of compromised a little bit of my real truths coming out so that I could help other people for fear of not getting praised,” Sonya shared. Eventually, she decided her only review would come from God. “The only person that it matters to is God, and all he wants me to do is tell the truth,” she said.

Faith has played a central role in Sonya’s journey. As highlighted by American Essence, she begins each day with prayer and devotion, and the Curry family prioritizes attending church together. For Sonya, “Jesus, He’s just peace,” a sentiment that has helped her endure the challenges of life in the public eye.

Fame doesn’t bring universal admiration. While Golden State Warriors fans may adore Stephen Curry others envy him, leading to moments Sonya would rather forget. During the 2019 NBA Finals in Toronto, fans outside her hotel booed loudly, with one person yelling obscenities at her. Another incident occurred at a Warriors-Cavaliers game, where Sonya’s mother, unable to stay quiet in the face of derogatory remarks about her grandson, almost got into an altercation, prompting security to intervene.

These moments underscore the darker side of fame, something Sonya has dealt with for decades. Even before Stephen’s rise to stardom, her former husband Dell Curry’s NBA career subjected their family to similar challenges, shaping a young Stephen Curry’s early experiences with unwanted attention that he later recalled.

Stephen Curry recalled being bullied in Charlotte High School because of Dell and Sonya’s popularity: “That’s the Worst”

Having a beautiful mother is usually the best compliment a son could receive. However, opponents ended up using the same thing against Stephen Curry during his high school days. The future NBA three-point leader had not yet proved his worth by high school. Still, he was a known figure, thanks to his father’s fame. After all, Dell Curry used to play for the Charlotte Hornets. Sonya was often in the public spotlight, as she attended Dell’s games. Her beauty ended up becoming a way for Steph’s high-school competitors to engage in trash-talk. He revealed this fact during a 2014 ESPN interview.

“Oh man, that’s the worst. I mean obviously she’s definitely a beautiful lady. And I guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree” said Steph, jokingly. “But she definitely gets her TV time when she comes to support myself, my brother at our games…Hey, I’ll take it in strides. Just be respectful about it. Don’t have to talk too much trash.”

More than Sonya, it was Dell who the people of Charlotte were aware of. As a result, Steph had to also deal with some trash-talk moments that connected Steph with nepotism. He revealed with a chuckle, “That (trash-talk about Sonya) and them telling me my dad paid off the refs-one of the two insults where they made their name.”

From the outside, it is easy to be in awe of the fame and wealth that an NBA player goes on to generate. However, reaching that point in life also comes with a price. Sonya Curry is amongst the few who can attest to that fact.