Remember that night at TD Garden? Yes, that night when Stephen Curry led the Warriors to their 7th championship? Remember Stephen Curry crying after the buzzer that defined one of his finest moments in the NBA? That’s how much it meant to him and the people around him. Among those people, some forever remain in the shadows, silently adding bricks to the legacy of Stephen Curry. But now, that silence has finally broken.

Brandon Payne, Steph’s trainer, has been an undetachable part of his career. The man’s contribution to Curry’s fitness and physique has not only helped the All-Star remain in peak condition even at 36, but he also bridged a connection with Curry, even at the expense of his family time. So much so that after his heroics in the Paris Olympics final, Curry shared the success with Payne and the moment is now going viral.

In a recent social media post, Payne is seen posing with the gold medal alongside Curry with a beaming smile. “Proud doesn’t begin to describe the feelings I have in this picture. @StephenCurry30 has worked so hard over the last 15 years to make himself one of the greatest players to ever play this game. Seeing him so excited and proud of his gold medal speaks to how much he loves this game. This picture will forever be one of the proudest moments of my career,” Payne said about the proud picture.

This proud moment came after years of sacrifices and compromises in his family time. According to Payne, he squeezes time for his kids in between his busy schedule and encourages them to work out as well. “Brandon Payne at home is get the kids up, get them to school, try to squeeze in my own personal workout. At some point, get to the office handle Brandon payne.com Business handle, team Curry and Accelerate Basketball business. Since we’ve got team Curry on the Under Armour circuit and Accelerate Basketball and Under Armour rise circuit as well as our middle school teams and deal with some high school basketball stuff,” Curry’s trainer said during an episode of The Basketball podcast.

He further detailed how most of his time is spent behind the desk reviewing videos and planning sessions and then repeating the whole thing the next day. But it doesn’t tire him, rather working with Curry is something he “wouldn’t trade this or anything”.  Payne, who has trained Curry since 2009, works with various players and upcoming talents, offering his specialized knowledge. And that provided him with the perfect opportunity to identify what set Curry apart from the athletes.

Brandon Payne disclosed the reason for Stephen Curry’s brilliance over the years

The biggest question surrounding Stephen Curry was his physique when he came into the NBA. In a league tailor-made for big men, Curry’s undersized frame raised questions about his prospect of success, but in 2024, we know how that turned out. Payne, who saw Curry throughout this journey, was the perfect candidate to evaluate Curry’s trajectory in the league and revealed what set him apart.

“Part of the fun of working with Stephen for the last nine, ten years, has been is that he doesn’t look like LeBron. He doesn’t have these big, physically imposing attributes, but he’s made himself the best player in the game,” Payne said during the 2019 Underrated Tour, a specialized event for young athletes. He further explained how Curry always worked with that chip on his shoulder, having attention to detail and the desire to overcome adversities. For those aspiring minds of the game, Payne’s statement shows the route map to greatness and following Stephen Curry’s path is never a bad option, no matter how you see it.