I mainly watch the NBA once the playoffs start, so I am familiar with Steph Curry, but I knew very little about him as a person until I read this book. The author, Mike Yorkey, writes a series called "Playing With Purpose" in which he profiles athletes that exhibit a strong faith in Christ. This series is well known and very popular among Christian sports fans, particularly impressionable young athletes. This book is an unauthorized biography, so it includes lots of direct quotes that come from interviews, speeches, and other publications. I feel that the author conjectures a lot about people's feelings, things they may have said or thought, or how they may have reacted. That being said, this book also presents a lot of facts about Steph Curry, including his upbringing, his school years, his professional career, his family life, and his faith. Overall this book is very interesting and very well written.
Steph Curry accepted Christ when he was in the fourth grade. His parents exhibited a strong faith in God, and they were dedicated to raising their children to walk with Christ. Steph attended Christian schools from elementary through high school. He has two life verses, both of which you can find in some form on his signature shoes: Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose", and Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If you've ever seen Curry play you've undoubtedly seen his trademark move of thumping his chest followed by pointing to the sky. He says "I like to point towards the Man who died for our sins on the cross. Basically it means have a heart for God. It keeps the perspective for me, why I play the game and where my strength comes from."
One thing I learned in this book is that a chapel service is held one hour before every NBA game - regular season and playoffs - and players from both teams are welcome to attend. One of Curry's former Golden State coaches, Mark Jackson, was also a pastor, and he emphasized the importance of attending chapel. The author points out that around ten of the fourteen players on the Gokden State roster regularly attend chapel. All sports offer regular chapel services, but the frequency and duration varies.
Ayesha Curry is also featured in one section of the book. Along with her strong commitment to Christ, the author also focuses on her role as wife, mother, entrepreneur, author, and possibly TV star. She has a book titled "The Seasoned Life: Food, Family, Faith, and the Joy of Eating Well" that is set to be published this fall, and also a possible TV show on Food Network that would premiere around the same time.
I would recommend this book to all Christians, especially those who are sports fans, and also young athletes looking for a respectable role model. I received this as a free ARC from Shiloh Run Press, Barbour Publishing, on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
