Steph Curry is finally a Davidson graduate
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NBA superstar Steph Curry received his diploma from Davidson College Aug. 31 as a member of the Class of 2022. He also had his number retired, at last, all in one special ceremony at the school.
Why it matters: The Davidson legend and Golden State Warriors’ guard quietly completed his final semester this past spring, fulfilling a promise he’d made to his coach, Bob McKillop and family when he left college early for the NBA draft in 2009.
Details: Curry didn’t attend the spring commencement ceremony — the Warriors were preparing for the Western Conference finals. But he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in sociology, the college said in a release.
- He worked with two members of the Davidson faculty last semester, plus a Stanford University professor and a UC Santa Cruz professor who taught Curry when both were at Davidson.
Between the lines: Fans have long clamored to have Curry’s No. 30 Davidson jersey retired. And he already has one jersey retired – his Charlotte Christian jersey.
- Curry led Davidson to an Elite Eight appearance, and has since gone on to become a three-time NBA champion and set an NBA record for three-pointers in a career.
- But McKillop has said on numerous occasions only players who graduate from the school get their jerseys retired, something Curry’s never argued.“I knew what I signed up for when I went to Davidson,” Curry told ESPN in 2015.
What they’re saying: “He’s been away for awhile, yet every day he exemplifies what this place stands for. We are so grateful he’s a Davidson Wildcat. Please join me in celebrating Stephen Curry, who graduates today from Davidson College,” Davidson president Carol Quillen said during the spring commencement, tipping off a loud applause.
Go deeper: With Axios Sports’ Kendall Baker’s story on Curry’s graduation, and with one of the first longform features ever written about Curry, from fellow Davidson grad Michael Kruse, in Charlotte magazine in 2008.
- Kruse attended Curry’s ceremony this week and tweeted, “Felt here today on the last day of August of 2022 the way it did those evenings in ‘08 and ‘09. When @StephenCurry30
was not only the most captivating player in all of college basketball but the reason for a rolling @DavidsonCollege reunion. At once too much and just right.”
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in May 2022. It was updated in August 2022 with details from the ceremony.