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Bob McKillop

Why Steph Curry keeps his college coach up at night

Nicole Auerbach
USA TODAY Sports

The worst part — if there is such a thing — of having your star ex-pupil play for a West Coast-based NBA team is having to stay up late at night.

Stephen Curry, shown here with Davidson coach Bob McKillop, played guard for the Wildcats from 2006 to 2009.

Luckily for Davidson’s Bob McKillop, the Golden State Warriors usually have built comfortable leads midway through games. Steph Curry often isn’t needed on the court for every second.

“I try to watch as many of them as possible, and I must confess I stay up later than I should,” McKillop told USA TODAY Sports. “I'm very fortunate because they take him out in the fourth quarter.”

McKillop chuckled. This sleep sacrifice is worth it.

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Curry, Davidson's point guard from 2006 to 2009, is now a transcendent beyond basketball, a bona-fide American star. He’s must-see television, whether it’s seven 3-pointers made in the first quarter — which he did last week against the Washington Wizards — or simply his elaborate pre-game ball handling routine that attracted louder cheers than the game itself in Philadelphia a week ago. Curry’s averaging nearly 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds per game, and that stat line barely does justice to the sensational season he and the Warriors (46-4) are having.

Davidson coach Bob McKillop is an avid fan of his former player, Steph Curry, and he thinks the NBA MVP brings great "joy" to his fans.

“As an average-looking person physically, you root for him, and his style of play brings joy. I think that word 'joy' is the word that always comes to my mind as I watch Steph, and I've watched him now for so many years, but it is forever a joyful experience.”“Steph still has those boyish looks, Steph still has a body that is very average (6-3, 190) and therefore there are so many people that can identify with Steph,” McKillop said. “They see themselves as Steph. I think that is the No. 1 reason why so many people copy what he tries to do or believe they could be like him or really pursue those drills with further commit themselves (to trying to turn) into Steph Curry.

That’s echoed by Curry's fan base. Consider other exceptional athletic talents, such as LeBron James, even Cam Newton. They’ve got their admirers, but also their detractors. They can be lightning rods, for better or worse.

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But nearly everything about Curry — and the Curry family — connects with fans and the general public in a positive way.

“There aren't too many people that are rooting against Steph Curry,” McKillop said. “Steph Curry is as good a person as he is a player. I think that resonates with the world because you can't find a person who has achieved the greatness he's achieved in his short period of time amidst the scrutiny that occurs in the world that we live in today who continues to have that sparkling image that Steph has.

“It's not just an image, it's a character, and it is really tough to be that today in our world. He's still a sparkling character.”

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