He might not have won the regular-season MVP, but Steph Curry turned out to be the NBA’s Man of the Year.
Curry’s legendary performances in Games 4 and 6 of these NBA Finals were the driving force in restoring the Warriors’ dynasty after a few rocky years of injuries and a mini-reboot after the departure of superstar Kevin Durant — and made him a lock for Finals MVP.
But the Chef’s historic exploits on and off the court were game-changers — for both him and the NBA.
- In addition to his first Finals MVP, he won Western Conference Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, and broke the league record for most 3PM (3,117).
- He finished fifth on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athlete list in 2022, earning $45.8M on the court and $47M off it for a total of $92.8M.
- He became the NBA’s most marketable player on social and digital platforms, eclipsing 1.4B video plays from the beginning of the season.
- Curry graduated from Davidson University with a bachelor’s in sociology.
Of course, Steph had some help in pulling off one of the biggest years of his storied career — support that goes beyond Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
GM Bob Myers spent a league-high $179 million on restoring a team that only two years ago had the NBA’s worst record, adding first-time All-Star Andrew Wiggins and breakout phenom Jordan Poole.
Now, Curry’s Warriors have won their fourth title in eight seasons, and with four years and $215 million left on his contract, the 34-year-old should remain the headliner for years — and rings — to come.
