Warriors star Steph Curry isn't slowed by impaired vision as best shooter ever originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
OAKLAND – Nearly a decade after Stephen Curry established himself as the best deep shooter in basketball history, he disclosed that such acclaim came despite eyesight that was profoundly imperfect.
That he had no idea his vision was impaired until former Warriors general manager Bob Myers reached out during the 2018-19 NBA season after catching a glimpse of Curry’s frequent squinting when TV cameras scanned the team’s bench.
“I knew I had blurry vision,” Curry said Wednesday during a philanthropic visit to Madison Park Academy in deep East Oakland. “Like it’s called ‘ghosting,’ where you kind of see shadows with light sensitivity headaches all that type of stuff. But you chalk that up to a lot of different things.”
Curry was unaware he was squinting, much less that he was trying to see clearly. There was no evidence of poor vision on the court, where he shot 91.6 percent from the line – slightly above his 91.2-percent career mark – and 43.7 percent from beyond the arc. His 354 3-pointers that season were, at the time, second only to his NBA-record 402 in the 2015-16 season.
It is obvious, in retrospect, that Curry was relying largely on the muscle memory that comes with having taken thousands upon thousands of shots since his teen years.
“It was just kind of adapting and adjusting and figuring out a way around it the whole time,” Curry said. “That could only last so long until you need to get it looked at.”
At Myers’ urging, Curry was examined by an optometrist, who diagnosed he was playing through keratoconus. That’s when the cornea, normally shaped like a dome, thins and begins to bulge more like a cone. Curry’s vision was both blurry and distorted. Keratoconus can have a negative effect on such routine activities as reading and driving.
But not splashing baskets – if you’re Curry.
Contact lenses were recommended, and Curry has worn them ever since.
“I know everybody who’s worn glasses or contacts or had prescriptions done, (there’s an) ‘Aha’ moment,” Curry said. “Like, oh this is what the world really looks like. That type of moment. It’s not unique to me at all, but that was a big part of it.”
In seven seasons after being diagnosed and treated, Curry is shooting 92.3 percent from the line and 40.3 percent from distance. His effective field-goal percentage of 58.2 is the same as his career average.
Curry, 38, is entering his 18th NBA season. He’s the second-oldest member of the Warriors, behind only 40-year-old Al Horford. Curry last season was diagnosed with “runner’s knee,” which sidelined him for nine weeks. Six days before Golden State’s first training-camp practice, he says the right knee feels “fantastic” and that he’s ready to go.
The keratoconus diagnosis, however, was significance to give him pause.
“Anything that’s sensitive to your vision, you’re kind of on a little bit of an alert, especially as an athlete,” Curry said. “That’s my way to play the game, and to see the court. Other than having biannual checkups to make sure I was keeping track of it, the treatment plan that worked for me. Healthcare providers can kind of guide you in the right direction for what’s right for you. Thankfully, it’s worked, so it kind of eased the anxiety after a while.
“But it is a new normal of stuff that you have to do to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
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