Stephen Curry and His Amazing Game Are Coming Home to Charlotte

Charlotte, NC is where it all began for rookie sensation Stephen Curry, and for the first time in his professional career, Curry and his Golden State Warriors will make an appearance at Time-Warner Arena.

The first time I found out that former NBA player Dell Curry had a son who was playing high school ball at Charlotte Christian, my immediate assumption was he was a great shooter, based on his father's career.

A friend of mine had seen the younger Curry first-hand and he confirmed my suspicion, but he intimated that Curry's shot was not only great; it was quite possibly the best shooting stroke he had ever seen.

I was blown away by this revelation because this was a respected friend, and for him to lay greatness at the feet of a 15 year old was out of his character, but my curiosity was definitely heightened.

The first time I was able to see Curry in person was at the Bojangles' Shootout, a tournament in Charlotte which brought the public and private schools together, and invited national powerhouses as well.

Some of the names which have graced the tournament are current NBA players Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Gerald Henderson, Anthony Morrow, and Curry himself.

From the moment I saw Curry shoot the ball, my first thought was that my friend's description didn't do Curry justice. He simply had the most gorgeous, technically sound jump shot I had ever seen.

His form was perfect, and his release was lightening quick, which prevented his shot from hardly ever getting blocked. I came away very impressed after witnessing Curry stand out among the bigger names at the tournament.

Curry's diminutive size and his thin frame kept the major college recruits away, and even though everyone was impressed with Curry's amazing shooting abilities, the only big school to show interest was Virginia Tech, which offered Curry the option to walk-on.

Curry decided to stay close to home and moved his game 30 miles from Charlotte to the tiny town of Davidson NC, and in Curry's sophomore year at the school with the same name as the town, the world came to know Stephen Curry.

In a brilliant display of shooting, Curry took the 2008 NCAA Tournament by storm, propelling his small school to within two points of the Final Four, finally losing to the eventual national champion Kansas Jayhawks.

Curry's shooting stroke made it a certainty he would at least get a job in the NBA, but at 6'3" and rail-thin, he was still perceived to be small for the shooting guard position.

Curry and his college coach Bob McKillop realized this and decided to let Curry play the point guard position in his junior year, since this seemed most likely to be the spot Curry would end up playing professionally.

It turned out to be a sound decision, and although Curry didn't shoot the ball as well in his junior year, he still had his moments, and he proved without a doubt that he was capable of playing the point guard position.

One of those moments during his junior year took place at the very arena Curry will return this evening, and on that afternoon he put on a virtuoso performance with LeBron James in the audience.

Curry seemed to be encouraged by James and put on a display against N.C. State which still stands as one of the better performances in the history of Time-Warner Arena, college or pro.

He scored 46 points which included various scoop shots, short jumpers, and the 30 foot bombs which Curry had become known for and led Davidson to their last significant victory in his college career.

There would be no NCAA tournament in his junior year, but by then it was certain Curry would be drafted in the first round, the only question was by whom?

So now Curry is settled 3,000 miles away from home and he is sharing with people in the Bay area the same skills and enthusiasm for the game which made him a media darling in the Queen City.

There are no longer any questions about Curry's size or his ability to play the point guard position, as the topic of discussion now usually centers on how good Curry might turn out to be.

He has taken the Bay Area by storm and has quickly become the face of a struggling Warrior franchise, as well as a legitimate contender for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.

Earlier in the season, Curry recorded the first triple-double for a Golden State rookie since Chris Webber, and has displayed a knowledge and understanding for the game that is far beyond his years.

Curry evolved from his humble beginnings in Charlotte to one of the brightest young stars in the NBA today, and for the first time since donning the Warriors' colors, his home town gets a chance to see him in person.

Charlotte should be proud of the surprising success of her native son, and hopefully Curry will have a little magic left for the arena which will forever bear his footprint.