Getty Sonya Curry is playing double duty cheering for Steph and Seth Curry during the Western Conference Finals.
Sonya Curry has gone from being known as Dell Curry’s wife to Steph’s Curry’s mom. With the Blazers recent success, she has also been called Seth Curry’s mother. Whatever her title, Sonya has created her own following thanks to her infectious personality and boisterous reactions during games.
The Curry crew is becoming the First Family of the NBA. Both of Dell and Sonya’s sons, Steph and Seth, are in the NBA. Their daughter, Sydel, is married to Warriors guard Damion Lee. Sonya, who turns 53 years old on May 30, even showed off her own basketball skills during the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend. Sonya hit a half-court shot in Charlotte when the family was competing in a shooting relay.
“I was trash talking with the kids and I said, ‘Me and your pops, we are going to take this thing from you.’ And they were like, ‘Whatever, whatever,'” Sonya explained to ESPN.
Learn more about Steph and Seth’s mom, Sonya.
1. Sonya Experienced Racism From Former Hornets Owner George Shinn
Sonya grew up in Radford, Virginia where she was part of a poor African-American community, per The Undefeated. Sonya has a diverse ethnicity that includes African-American, Creole, Haitian and Caucasian roots, per L’Union Suite. During an interview with The Undefeated, she opened up about experiencing racism not only as a child but when Dell was first drafted by the Charlotte Hornets.
“The owner called in another player, a white guy player who dated black women, and said, ‘We drafted you. We know who you like to date. But we just want to tell you to really be careful about letting people see because Dell Curry is married to a white woman and we don’t know how people are going to take them either,’” Sonya noted to The Undefeated. “The player was like, ‘You are not going to believe what they just said.’ I was like, ‘What?’ Just the assumption of what I look like and all that.”
2. Sonya Played Volleyball at Virginia Tech Where She Met Her Husband, Dell
Sonya was a standout high school athlete who went on to play volleyball at Virginia Tech. She first saw Dell during a Virginia Tech basketball practice when she went on her official visit. Like Steph, Sonya was undersized for volleyball, but high school coach John Pierce noted to the San Francisco Chronicle that she made up for it with heart.
“Just an astonishingly good kid,” John told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Really delightful young girl, just fun to be around. She was small then, and she stayed small, but she already had a great work ethic, great parental support from her mom, Candy, who did not play around. Candy’s kids toed the line.”
3. Sonya Was Caught Cheering for Steph While Wearing a Blazers Jersey When He Was Squaring Off With Seth in the NBA Playoffs
Dell and Sonya fInd themselves in a difficult position during the 2019 Western Conference Finals as their sons squared off in the Blazers-Warriors series. The parents have a highly-scientific system to determine who they will cheer for, and it involves flipping a coin. Each game, they plan to represent both sons by wearing opposing gear.
During Game 1, Sonya was seen cheering for Steph after a made basket while wearing Seth’s Blazers jersey. It looks like it is going to take some practice for the Curry parents.
“I saw her up there cheering. I usually look up there, but it caught me off guard because I saw her Blazers jersey,” Steph said after Game 1, per The New York Times. “She obviously didn’t know what I was saying, but I was yelling, ‘Who you with?’ after that shot.”
Sonya had a different take and noted she enjoyed the experience of cheering for both of her sons. It marks the first time in NBA history that two brothers are playing each other in a conference finals matchup.
“It was wonderful,” Sonya told The New York Times after the first game. “I got to see my oldest son do what he does and be himself. I got to see my younger son in his first playoffs, going for a championship and filling his role. I feel like he did great.”
4. Steph & Seth’s Mom Wants “More Grandbabies”
While her sons have aspirations of an NBA title, Sonya’s wish list is short. She noted to Today that she wanted “more grandbabies.” Steph and his wife, Ayesha Curry, have three children: Canon, Ryan and Riley. Seth and fiance Callie Rivers have a daughter named Carter.
“Just more grandbabies,” Sonya explained to Today. “That’s it. That’s all I need.”
According to Today, Sonya ran a Christian Montessori School when her husband was in the NBA. Sonya noted she did not think about being stretched too thin.
“I never really thought about what I was doing,” Sonya said, per Today. “The kids went to school with me, all three of them. All my children were in some type of activity in the evening, and you just did it. You just woke up and you just got going.”
5. Sydel Called Their Mom the “Best Mother in the World”
Steph and Seth may get a lot of attention thanks to being NBA players, but daughter Sydel is also building her own brand. Sonya’s daughter recently launched her own Facebook show where she interviews the relatives of celebrities. For Mother’s Day, Sydel took to Instagram to praise Sonya for all she has done for the family.
Happy Mother’s Day to the best mother in the world! This moment was by far one of my favorite moments ever because in that moment, I realized I was one step closer to being a mother like you! My brothers and I are so blessed to have you and each year it becomes more and more clear! Now have a whole bottle of champagne today, on me ?❤️•
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Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms out there as well! You are loved and appreciated!
