Former NBA wife Sonya Curry and her ex-NBA player husband Dell Stephen Curry Sr., are often in the spotlight due to the extraordinary success of their three children.
As the hosts of the “Raising Fame: Sports Edition” podcast, that premiered back in 2020, the parents of Steph Curry focused on the journeys of other extraordinary families in the sporting world.
However, four years later, during an introductory episode of her show “Raising Fame” with Shaquille O’Neal’s mom Lucille O’Neal, the roles were reversed. This time, the Currys are placed on the spot to open up about their own experiences raising three children who seem to be dominating their respective fields.
Steph Curry, the most prominent of their children, has achieved legendary status in the NBA with four championship rings, two MVP awards, and a signature shimmy that fans adore. He is not just winning as the co-captain of his Golden State Warrior team, but off the court he’s also known for being a devoted husband and father of four, proving that his success extends beyond basketball.
The point guard not only followed in the footsteps of his father, Dell, as a professional baller, but surpassed the expectations set before him.
His brother, Seth Curry, is also carving out his legacy as a journeyman guard in the league, having recently re-signed with the Charlotte Hornets. He is married to Callie Rivers Curry, whose father is Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, and the two have three children.
Seth and Steph Curry will be the first brothers to play against each other in the same conference finals. (via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/Fmzs72ujEe
— ESPN (@espn) May 12, 2019
Their sister, Sydel Curry, is forging her own path as a social media influencer. She is married to Phoenix Suns player Damion Lee, with whom she has had two children.
Despite the family’s remarkable achievements, Sonya and Dell divorced in 2021 but have remained friends after a challenging split.
Not only cordial, but they are also unified, based on the July episode, on distancing themselves from labels like “NBA First Family” or “NBA Royalty.”
On the show, Sonya spoke candidly about the pressure these titles bring and how they contribute to the media’s portrayal of her.
“When people say that, I don’t even respond,” Sonya said. “I kind of give a little smirk. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but to me, I don’t even … I don’t understand what that means. What does first family mean?”
She continued, “I think because for some reason there’s been this thing about showing me in the stands and I — there’s so many other moms just like me.”
Happy National Sibling Day! We “growed” up real nice @sdotcurry and @sydelcurry. Love y’all. pic.twitter.com/abLvkJV0oR
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) April 11, 2016
The press doesn’t seem to want to pay attention to other moms, according to Sonya, who is arguably as famous as her NBA husband and sons.
She noted how the league and certain media outlets have often focused their cameras on her, sometimes capturing moments that can be misinterpreted.
“They often catch me in situations that I don’t like,” she says. “I’m making some crazy faces or that I’m trying to get my daughter-in-law (Ayesha Curry) to take a sip of my Margarita and she’s pregnant.”
Sonya did not say when it happened but her grandchildren were born: daughters, Riley, born in July 2012, Ryan Carson in July 2015, and sons, Canon, born in July 2018, and baby boy, Caius Chai Curry, who was born in May.
Reflecting on just how intentional the producers are, Sonya revealed, “We actually found out the first year they were going for the NBA title that they keep a camera designated to us, on us, the whole game, and we never knew that.”
Steph’s mom explained how these outlets could chop up the footage to create misleading narratives, making it appear as if she was “disinterested or she’s mad at Stephen,” when in reality, those moments were taken out of context.
“So, whenever they needed something, they could click on it and they take it from different places or times during the game,” she continued. “It could have been we just got there and sat down. Well, they used that clip at the third quarter and so they sliced it.”
She expressed exhaustion with how the media can unfairly targets her and her family for the good or the bad, while many other NBA parents go unnoticed.
“There’s so many more parents that are doing the exact same things with their kids,” Sonya said. “Their kids are having children… are having more success than our children are.”
She also rejected the idea of being called a “single mother” because it “diminishes” the idea of what single mothers go through, adding, “My mother was a single mother.”
For Sonya, the label of “NBA Royalty” doesn’t fit.
Especially, when their children had to prove themselves, specifically Steph.
Recently, during an appearance on the Audible podcast “Heat Check with Stephen and Dell Curry,” Dell talked about his son not being tall as a teen baller. Without hesitation, he pointed the finger at his ex-wife Sonya for Steph being short.
“You were always the smallest, shortest, skinniest kid on all your teams, from 6 years old, 6th grade and all the way up, and I contribute that to your mother,” Dell told Steph on the second episode of the project.
Luckily, he grew up to become 6 feet 2, only 3 inches shorter than his father, and almost a whole foot taller than his mother.
This is also proof that the family is just like others, validating how she sees herself as one of many parents who support their children in their athletic pursuits.
For Sonya, she and her family don’t need the spotlight or the sensationalized stories that often come with it. This is why she and O’Neal started their show and why she and her ex started theirs.