Stephen Curry Reveals His Anxiety Struggles
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has performed under the brightest lights in the basketball world. Now in his 16th NBA season, he has played in six NBA Finals, winning four championships with his team. Curry is also widely remembered for his iconic performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics Gold Medal game. In a thrilling moment against France, he sealed the victory with a clutch three-pointer, punctuated by his signature “night night” celebration to the stunned crowd.
Steph Curry, a man who often seems superhuman on the court and boasts an extraordinary resume, still suffers from performance anxiety—just like many amateur athletes. “Oh, for sure, I have anxiety,” he admitted in a recent interview with ESPN. Curry opened up about the pressure he feels regularly before games and the anxiety that accompanies it. Yes, even someone who has excelled on the grandest stages in basketball history experiences performance anxiety on typical game days. “I feel it before every game,” Curry shared. “I have to remind myself to breathe and focus.”
Despite being a grown man approaching 40, with a wife, kids, and over a decade of NBA experience, Stephen Curry still battles anxiety when playing the sport he loves. Yet, our society often dismisses the mental health struggles of teenagers and young college athletes with far less experience than Steph. College athletes are expected to be mentally resilient or “mentally tough,” and while that may be true, it does not make them invincible. Curry, one of the most mentally tough athletes in all of sports, still struggles with the mental side of the game. Every athlete, regardless of their size, age, gender, or level of play, is vulnerable to these challenges.
Want to learn more about the mental side of sports? In my new book, So You Want to Play College Sports, I interviewed numerous current college athletes who shared their experiences and mental struggles. Did you know that 80% of college athletes report feeling high levels of stress? Or that 33% of college athletes quit their sport before graduating because of the overwhelming mental challenges they face? You’ll find more details, facts, and personal quotes from athletes in my book—check out the link below to learn more!
Stephen Curry 2024 Paris Olympics