How Tall Is Stephen Curry? – Actual Stephen Curry’s Height

Basketball is considered a big man's sport. But Stephen Curry is not a giant or freakish by any means. You will probably identify him as the smallest guy on the NBA court when you are in front of the TV set. But boy, did he ever let his undersize decide the fate of his NBA career?

Many experts have agreed that Curry is the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA. He has won 3 NBA titles with the Warriors. He is also a 2X NBA's most valuable player. But Curry is one such player who has always been criticized for his small stature.

In the initial years, there have been doubts over his capability. There have also been speculations about NBA players lying their real height. So certainly, there was a question mark over Curry as well.

So NBA decided that teams have to start measuring the actual height of their players from the 2019-20 NBA season. How did this new rule affect players like Steph Curry?

Did they cut him down in size, or has Curry grown taller? Let's dig down the Stephen Curry height issue.

How Tall Was Curry When He First Came Into NBA?

Curry was the 7th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, and he went with Golden State Warriors. If we look at the stats from the NBA draft combine that year, Curry's listed height was:

Without shoes: 6’2” (1.88m)
With shoes: 6’3.25” (1.91m)

What Many Predicted About The Rookie Steph Curry?

As soon as he was picked to play in the NBA, there were doubters who believed Curry doesn't have the physical tools required to make it big in the NBA. But he had impressive numbers to show from his college career. Curry helped the USA team to earn a silver medal in the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships.

As a freshman at Davidson, he finished with 21.5 points per game. In a match against Maryland in the NCAA tournament, he scored 30 points. He was chosen as the most outstanding player in the Midwest region in the 2008 NCAA tournament.

Despite such a strong showing, some scouts were not convinced. One such opinion was that Curry is small & he is not a natural point guard either so an NBA team should not be heavily relying on him.

Even he was also suggested to add some muscles. Another notable comment was he lacks body strength, and there is no stiff competition at mid-major Davidson.

Why NBA Started Investigation?

In September 2019 NBA teams were told by the league to take precise height measurements & verify the age for every player. So why did all of a sudden NBA decide to implement a new rule? Let's find out the real truth behind this kind of decision.

Earlier players were just asked about their height & weight without going through measurements. Even the teams would use the same data every year because they don't need to update it.

There had been suggestions players might be lying and exaggerating their actual heights. Few seem to experience growth in stature (Kevin Durant). And it looks like there is also a mystery surrounding the age of certain players (Greg Oden).
All these things make sense, right?

So from now, players will be measuring their heights wearing nothing. Undoubtedly, this is the best way to stop this malpractice of hiding the actual height. Players should not pretend; rather, they must submit their real height.

Indeed NBA's decision to ensure the accuracy of the data provided by the teams is praiseworthy. It is not unknown that NBA is partnering with several betting sites, so they will want to keep everything transparent. But there have been reports; these new rules are in place for gambling revenue rather than fair play.

What Was Steph Curry’s Reaction About New Rule?

Well, it was obvious Curry's didn't like the idea of a new height listing. Look what he had said when Anthony slater, a senior writer from Athletic questioned him about the new rule-

“Without shoes, I’m officially 6-2 and 3-quarters. But I don’t play basketball without shoes.”

It didn't end there. He even went on to crack a joke about the new height rule-

“That’s why I grew my hair out. I knew that rule was coming.”
He was definitely having some fun, right?

To be honest, if you ask me, I will tell you I definitely saw it coming. After all, these words were coming from Curry, a guy who has always been criticized for not having height like a typical NBA player.

What Is Steph Curry’s Real Height Now?

Steph curry is not like most other basketball players who are either born tall or have seen a growth resurgence late on their career, don't believe me? Look into Curry's height now after NBA published new height listings of players. Compare this with the rookie year; you'll find there is no noticeable change in height.

Without shoes: 6’2 and ¾”
With shoes: 6’3.25”

Remember what Curry told the reporters about his height? Yes, he admitted he is a tad smaller than 6 foot 3. He didn't hide his real height. So there is no point in accusing him of lying about his height.

Photo Source: arrelic.com

Curry looks short but stronger than you think:

So Steph Curry stands 6'2 and ¾" without shoes. On the other hand, the average height of most guards playing in the NBA is almost the same. Therefore going by the number, he is as tall as any other player playing in his position.

But the question is, if Curry isn't smaller than most other guards, then why does he look short on the court? Does it stand delusional?

The first obvious reason is that Curry has a smaller body frame compared to many other guards. He doesn't have those big muscles. So it kinda makes him look shorter than he truly is.

Another crucial point is Curry's lively, youthful appearance. Curry is currently 32 years old. He is into the 12th season of his NBA career. But he never seems to grow old, or does he? He still looks very much young. What if we tell you Curry is the oldest player on the Warrior's roster in the 2019-20 NBA edition?

Here is a snap of the Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson warrior teammates sitting next to each other. The photo was taken during Game 2 of 2018-19 NBA finals.

Thompson was looking like a giant there and Curry looked like a high school guy. As expected, it went viral quickly & social media got crazy.

Thompson stands at 6 feet 6 inches as opposed to Curry’s 6-ft-3. So the picture looks surreal. It doesn’t tell you the whole story.

Curry was sitting on the chair, and Thompson was on a cushion. So the cushion propped Thompson higher than Curry. The angle of the photo helps and also considers Thompson's extra height.

Therefore, Thompson looked huge while Curry was looking extremely smaller. And this is the perfect scenario to point out Curry looks smaller than his real height.

Steph Curry might just be weighing 190 lbs. But he can deadlift 400 pounds, more than twice his body weight. He loves doing a routine workout in the gym. According to his teammate, Klay Thompson “Curry works on his body just as much he does for his jump shot”

Curry does go through intense core & leg exercises. Warriors assistant GM Kirk Lacob has quoted it rather perfectly. He told 98% of people would hurt themselves if they try to run like Steph curry. He might be lean but incredibly quick. His hand-eye coordination skill & overall athleticism is spellbound.

If you've doubt Curry's physical capability just because he looks thin, then it would be a proper misjudgement. He is way stronger than he looks.

Photo Source: Quora.com

How Curry Defied All His Odds & Rose To NBA Stardom?

Stephen Curry is a son of a former NBA guard, Dell Curry. So the pressure of becoming an NBA player was always there. Besides, he had some terrific records to show at the collegiate level.

Despite that they were doubters who actually thought his undersize would get into his way of becoming a next-level player.
Curry's first few years in the league weren't that bad, but definitely, he wasn't able to match his potential.

He won the western conference rookie of the month award 3 times in the 2009-10 season. He came up second for the NBA rookie of the year award. Curry's rookie season saw him finish with 166 three-pointers, which were most even by a rookie.

In 2011, he received the NBA sportsperson award. But somewhere, something was missing. At times, it felt like Curry would not be able to develop himself into an NBA superstar. The ball handling & passing skills could have been better. Assist numbers were not up to the expectations.

With that, if you don't know, Curry has the best worst ankle. Multiple ankle injuries saw him missing 40 games in total in the lockout-shortened 201-12 season. Even his contract with warriors was set to expire.

Luckily warriors renewed Curry's contract. When he was back on the team, he and Klay Thompson earned the nickname “Splash Brothers” for their perimeter scoring capability.

In that same season of 2012-13, he became the 1st player in the NBA to score 300 three-pointers in a single season, considered a breakthrough year of Curry's career.

Curry earned all NBA second team honors in 2013-14. After hiring Steve Kerr as their new coach in 2014-15, Warrior won their first title in 40 years. Curry was voted as the NBA's most valuable player. 2015-16 was a historic season for Curry.

He was named NBA's first ever unanimous MVP (only the 11th player to win the award in two straight seasons). He won two more titles with the warriors in 2017 & 2018.

So How Did This Magic Happen?

It was his dedication & hard work that led Curry to such a height of success. Many NBA experts, professional players & coaches from the present & past have praised Curry's work ethic. The criticism he had might just work wonders for him.

He motivated himself by putting hard work day by day out. He worked to perfect his skills for years. Eventually, he got better with time. The result is in front of you. Now, Curry is considered the greatest shooter in NBA history.

As Stephen Curry famously quoted:
“Success is not an accident; success is actually a choice."

Player Profile:

• Position: Point Guard
• Born: March 14, 1988 (32 years)
• Listed height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m)
• Listed Weight: 185 lb (84 kg)
• Notable Accolades: 3X NBA Champ (2015, 2017, 2018)
  2X MVP (2015, 2016)
  6X NBA All Star (2014-2019)
  2X FIBA WC Gold Winner For US (2010, 2014)

Final Words

It does not really matter now whether Steph is 6'2" or 6"3". He is 3 time NBA Champ, 2 time MVP and a holder of multiple NBA records. So all these arguments about his height or weight are good for nothing.

The truth is people keep talking about Curry's height & Curry, to his credit, has gone on to win more titles & trophies to fill up his showcase. You have to give credit where it is due, right?

What has been your favorite Steph Curry moment till now? He scored against the Oklahoma City Thunder & the game was beautifully poised with both teams at 118 in overtime. Let us know yours in the comments section below.