stephen curry: underrated

Director’s Perspective

Proximity to greatness is, at best, an exercise in keeping one’s cool – and at worst, brutally stressful. But Stephen Curry made it easy the first time we met. I was at the Chase Center in a nondescript meeting room. He was eating lunch, a quesadilla, which he promptly dropped on the floor as I walked in. He was human after all.

Introductions were made, and before long, he was showing me pictures and videos from his phone – memories of his time at Davidson College. Few had heard of Davidson before Curry led their basketball team to the national stage, and that journey, of course, was why we were meeting. As he flipped through those images, I saw the joy of nostalgia on his face. And in that moment, I knew what this film was really about. It wasn’t just about greatness – it was about the people who shaped him, the community that fueled his success. Exploring the power of community had been at the heart of my work documenting Oakland for the past decade, and as we began work on the film – spending days on Davidson’s campus – I recognized something familiar. Like Oakland, Davidson was a place full of promise yet hidden from view. A place often misunderstood. A place where people were fiercely protective of one another and carried an immense pride in their community.

I thought about the people I had met over the years in Oakland – the lifeblood of the city. Nurses who treated their patients with dignity. Teachers who mentored kids others had written off. Community leaders who reminded us of the power of civic engagement. They reminded me of the people in Steph’s life – the ones who had helped him reach his full potential. There were too many to fit in one film: his grandmother Candy, his parents Dell and Sonya, teammates like J-Rich, Coach McKillop, and, of course, the fans. Each of them was a reminder that greatness is never achieved alone. It is built in the quiet moments, in the encouragement of a mentor, in the unwavering belief of a community. It is not just about where we end up – it’s about the people who help us get there.

Pete Nicks
Director/Producer