In 2019, the NBA initiated an investigation after multiple players were accused of providing fake height. Many were saying that Curry has done the same and the upcoming measurement would show that. To their disappointment, it turned out that Chef Curry was telling the truth all along.
The article discusses Curry’s height as it was when he entered the scene and whether it has changed or not. We will also explain the reason why some people may find him to be shorter. Let’s begin.
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How Tall Was Rookie Stephen Curry?
To know the height of rookie Curry, we have to take a look at his measurement on the 2009 NBA draft. Every newcomer has to go through this draft. It collects some of the essential data such as wingspan, reach, sprint, bench, and last but not least, height. Let’s see what the draft said about Steph’s size.
- Curry was 6 feet 3.25 inches tall w/ shoes.
- Curry’s height was 6 feet 2 inches without shoes.
In 2009, the majority of NBA teams had little interest in the draft. It is because they already had established players on the squad. They prioritized picking young guns who can carry on the team’s legacy well into the future.
It was a time when an athlete’s physical attribute played a significant role in describing his quality. There used to be a higher emphasis on athleticism than skills. As a result, the playing style was way faster in comparison to the present scenario.
Averaging 20 PPG in the NCAA, there was no denying that Curry was a promising scorer. However, he did not appear suitable for the NBA on paper considering its standard, especially as a guard.
At that time, the ‘guard’ position would often be filled by someone who had a bulky physique. No one thought Curry would succeed at this role despite not being exceptionally athletic.
One of his scouts named Stevan Petrovic said that Steph’s athleticism and explosiveness are “far below” the NBA’s standard. He added that Curry’s height is not ideal for the guard position, and it is solely why he cannot be a defender in the league. Aran Smith, another scout of Curry, said that his height is “too small” for the 2G position.
In the end, Curry was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 7th overall pick. The rest of the other guards are as follows.
- 3rd Pick: James Harden, 6 feet 4 inches
- 4th Pick: Tyreke Evans, 6 feet 4 inches
- 5th Pick: Ricky Rubio, 6 feet 3 inches
- 6th Pick: Jonny Flynn, 5 feet 11 inches
How Tall Is Stephen Curry Now?
In September 2019, the NBA asked every team to measure the actual height of their players and let the officials know before the end of the first week’s training. All of the teams released the size of every active player on their roster. We collected Steph’s height from that report which is as follows.
- 6 feet 2 inches or 1.88-meter tall wearing no shoes.
- 6 feet 3.25 inches or 1.91-meter tall wearing shoes.
The decision of clarifying the player’s height was not taken suddenly. There had been speculation in the media about certain athletes lying about how tall they are. Kevin Durant was one of those allegedly involved.
It may come as a surprise, but Steph did not grow taller since 2009. The fact that his height did not increase was discussed all over the NBA community for a while. Curry did not hold back in putting a comment. He said that his height with shoes is fine, and he doesn’t play basketball without a pair of shoes.
Time has changed. Currently, numerous guards in the league are around 6 feet 2 inches tall. Curry’s height is absolutely fine, therefore. His small frame makes his appearance look smaller compared to other people of the same height.
Did Stephen Lie About His Height?
The short answer is, no, Curry did not lie about his height. As rumors spread that the NBA is going to ask Curry his height, some believed it would prove he was lying. Finally, the result came, and it disproved all the statements claiming Steph is shorter than his given height.
Curry is not precisely 6 feet 3 inches. He is slightly shorter than that. It is 6’3” only when the point guard wears basketball kicks. It means when he told reporters he stood 6 feet 3 inches tall, he wasn’t lying at all. After all, basketball players will always have shoes on whilst playing a game.
Why Does Stephen Look Shorter?
Where did the rumors stating Curry is short come from? Several people noticed that he did not look as big as 6’3” on camera. Is the camera lying? Of course, not. Curry does not look the tallest because his frame is significantly smaller than other point/shooting guards.
We are used to watching guards having large frames. Hence, people mistakenly consider Curry to be short because his frame does not resemble other guards.
The point guard seems really young for his age. No one can assume that Curry is the oldest on the Warriors’ roster at first glance. His small body shape and youthful appearance are responsible for that.
Steph could enroll himself on a college team, and no one would be skeptical about his age. The nickname ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ absolutely fits him, therefore.
Most basketball pundits consider Curry to be the GOAT in terms of the shooting performance. Some people cannot believe that someone who stands 6 feet 2 inches tall barefoot is the league’s finest shooter of all time.
NBA Height Listing
Many folks must be curious about what the NBA official height listing says regarding the topic. Curry is 6’3” tall, according to the listing. It means the NBA does not care if athletes wear shoes while measuring their height. It also indicates the height NBA shows on the listing of other players are not measured on barefoot.
Having said that, the height listing may not be accurate in all cases. For instance, it says Kevin Durant is 6’10” tall. The truth is, he stands 7 feet with a pair of kicks though Durant claimed his height is 6 feet 9 inches.
Upon discovering that Durant had lied about the height, he was questioned about why that had occurred. KD responded that he lied in order for people to see him as more of a small forward rather than a power forward. If KD’s performance is unaffected by his height, what makes you think Curry would underperform due to his height?
Players Who Stand With Stephen Curry at 6’3”
If you think the NBA barely has 6’3” tall players, you are gravely wrong. Multiple players stand the same height as Curry, and they are doing well individually. Even the Hornets’ star Muggsy Bogues was 5 ft 3 in tall only. His size did not hinder him from being an outstanding point guard. Here is a list of names that stand with Curry’s height.
- George Hill
- Michael Frazier
- Brad Wanamaker
- Reggie Jackson
- Ben McLemore
- Marcus Smart
- CJ McCollum
- Rayjon Tucker
- Austin Rivers
- Norman Powell
- Tyler Johnson
- Goran Dragic
- Dion Waiters
- Eric Gordon
Additional Resources
Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving are two of the most popular players in NBA right now, and for that reason, people want to compare them all the time. So we compare them with some statistics and choose a winner. If you want to know the result, you can check out this article: Curry vs Kyrie stats. Spoiler alert, your favorite player wins.
Final Thoughts
Height does give one or two advantages to a player. Nonetheless, being tall necessarily won’t make you a decent basketball player. It requires determination, hard work, talent, and skill to stand out in a competition like the NBA. Stephen Curry has all of these qualities that helped him to succeed in the league.
How important is height as a basketball player, according to you? Make sure to let us know your opponent below.