Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry is arguably the best shooter in the league’s history. The 36-year-old is the only player with over 3,000 three-pointers in his regular-season career. However, did you know the Golden State Warriors star has an eye disorder? Let’s look at Curry’s health troubles throughout his NBA career.
Regarded as the best shooter in the NBA, Curry witnessed a problem with his eyesight in 2019 that required him to wear contact lenses. The rare eye disorder even affected his game. However, the NBA star has found a way to tackle the chronic disease.
A Look At Steph Curry’s Illustrious Career
Stephen Curry was the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and helped the Dubs win four championships. Alongside Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Steph Curry reached five consecutive NBA finals from 2015 to 2019, winning three. In 2022, Curry won his first NBA Finals MVP award as the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 4-2 to lift the title.
Curry became the first NBA player to sign a $200 million deal in 2017. Later, he signed a four-year $215 million extension in 2021, becoming the first player with two such deals.
What Medical Condition Does Steph Curry Have?
According to The Athletic, Curry has suffered from a rare eye condition called keratoconus for his entire life. In early 2019, the Warriors guard addressed the medical condition that affected his game.
Keratoconus is a chronic eye disease, in which the cornea starts thinning and bulging outward into a conical shape rather than its circular shape. This deformation scatters the light entering the eye, leading to blurred vision and increasing light sensitivity.
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How Keratoconus Affected Steph Curry’s Game?
The 2018-19 season was the last of the Warriors’ five consecutive NBA Finals appearances. Ahead of the Playoffs, Curry witnessed a slump in his three-point shooting. He scored 51 three-pointers on 37.8% shooting in February 2019 compared to his 41.1% three-point shooting FG in February 2018.
After a slump in his shooting, Curry addressed the fans about his progressive eye condition and admitted that squinting became normal at one point. Many believed wearing contact lenses was due to his age and weak eyesight, but it turned out to be a chronic eye disease.
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How Stephen Curry Tackled Keratoconus?
Curry admitted that he didn’t wear glasses, and the squinting became normal. However, the dip in his shooting accuracy forced him to address the issue. While Keratoconus is a progressive condition that worsens with time, contact lenses are a temporary solution for the two-time NBA MVP.
After using the contacts, the 2016 NBA steals leader registered improved shooting numbers. In March 2019, Curry averaged 43.3% from the three-point line, shooting 56 of 109 attempts. He said about his eye condition, “I started wearing contacts. It’s like the whole world has opened up.”
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Has Steph Curry Ever Had A Serious Injury In His Career?
The two-time NBA scoring champion suffered ankle injuries in his early NBA career. Curry had an ankle surgery in 2011 after the Warriors’ 2010-11 season finished. In his third season, the Warriors guard injured his repaired ankle against Derrick Rose’s Chicago Bulls on December 26. He missed most of the season due to injuries, particularly his ankle, and played just 26 games in 2011-12. The 6’2” point guard focused on strength training and finally got past his ankle injuries.
On December 4, 2017, Curry injured his right ankle against the New Orleans Pelicans to miss the next 11 games. In the same game, the Warriors guard became the fastest NBA player to score 2,000 career three-pointers, achieving the milestone in 227 fewer games than the previous best.
In March 2018, Curry suffered a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain to his left knee. The injury caused him to miss nearly six weeks, but he returned in Game 2 of the second-round playoff series against the Pelicans.
In the 2019-20 season, Curry played just five regular-season games. Early in the season, he suffered a broken second metacarpal, which kept him away from the game for over three months. However, after an injury, he returned in the 2021-22 season to help the Warriors win the 2022 NBA Finals.
Curry has signed a one-year, $62.6 million contract extension with the Warriors ahead of the 2024-25 season. The contract will keep the all-time leading three-point scorer in the NBA at the Warriors until 2027. With the Warriors without Klay Thompson for the first time in 13 years, Curry will be the key player for the franchise in the upcoming season.
Also Read: Steph Curry Reveals A Shocking Reason Behind Removing ‘Warriors Guard’ From His Instagram Bio
