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Steph Curry is apparently a bit superstitious when it comes to his free throws.
The Golden State Warriors star had a perfect start from the line this season, coming into Tuesday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns having made all 22 of his free throws through the first three games. But after missing his first shot from the charity stripe, Curry stopped to point out who he believed was the culprit for the miss — TNT announcer Kevin Harlan.
Curry Calls Out Harlan
Curry went to the line for the first time with 3:25 remaining in the first half against the Suns, prompting the TNT announcer to point out his perfect start to the season.
“Steph Curry is at the line … he has not missed this year,” Harlan said.
Curry proceeded to clang the shot around the rim, an uncharacteristic miss from the player who finished second only to teammate Jordan Poole for the NBA’s best free-throw percentage last season. Curry stepped back from the line and smiled, then looked toward the announcers’ table and pointed to Harlan in an apparent call-out of the announcer’s jinx.
Analyst Reggie Miller wondered how Curry could have heard Harlan reciting his stat from the other side of the court. Harlan added that he felt bad for breaking Curry’s perfect streak, but not necessarily responsible.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “He was 22 of 22. I’m not a dealer in superstition.”
Curry’s call-out earned some viral attention, with many sharing the clip on Twitter and the TNT crew revisiting the moment after returning from a break.
Curry Sees Lessons in Missed Free Throws
Though Curry doesn’t often miss from the line — he is a career 90.9 percent shooter and has led the league four times — he said he sees a lesson in missing. In an interview with Fatherly, Curry explained that one of his formative moments in basketball came when he missed a pair of free throws and leaned on his parents for support.
“I played on a 10-and-under AAU basketball when I was 9, so I was the youngest on the team,” Curry said. “And there was a big moment in the national championship game where I missed a free throw to tie the game and the next one as well. So by missing those two free throws, we lost the game. My parents were very supportive of me during those moments. Even now, the emotions I experience when I think of that time are very tangible. And the power of that experience has helped me learn not to be afraid of failure.”
Curry said he’s now tried to pass those lessons on to his own children.
“I’m always telling my kids that they have to try stuff and sometimes it’s not gonna work,” he said. “Sometimes it is, but all you control is your focus and attention. It’s all about your approach to life. My parents set that foundation for belief and confidence that can prepare you for any moment and not be afraid of what the consequences might be or what the outcomes are going to be.”
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