Curry to the NBA

From staff reports

DAVIDSON — Stephen Curry, Davidson’s All-American guard, said in a press conference held at the school Thursday that he will enter the NBA draft and forgo his senior season with the Wildcats. Curry made his announcement in front of his father, former NBA standout Dell Curry, and his coach at Davidson, Bob McKillop.

McKillop and Dell Curry told the Charlotte Observer Wednesday that they were unsure if Stephen Curry would leave or stay at Davidson to earn his degree. Stephen Curry said he made his mind up for good 90 minutes before the press conference began.

Curry led the nation in scoring at 28.6 points per game last year.

He finished his college career with 2,635 points, a Davidson record. He scored 40 points at least three times last year and 30 points at least 15 times.

He led the Wildcats to a South Division championship in the SoCon, but Davidson was bounced out of the semifinals of the SoCon tournament by College of Charleston, the only team to beat the Wildcats twice last season.

The year before, the Wildcats won the SoCon tournament and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Kansas in the regional final.

Curry saved two of his highest-scoring games for Appalachian State. In 2007, he scored a then-career high 38 points in a 78-60 Wildcats victory at the Holmes Center. In the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament this season, he scored 43 points in an 84-68 Davidson win.

In Appalachian State’s first sellout crowd at the Holmes Center since 2000, Curry got into foul trouble and settled for 16 points in the Wildcats 70-52 win over the Mountaineers.

Curry, who was 5-foot-8 in his junior year in high school and 6-0 his freshman year at Davidson, has grown three inches since attending college. He’ll likely play point guard in the NBA should he want to be a starter, but has a shooter’s touch to play the shooting guard position. He made 45 percent of his shots this season, 39 percent from the 3-point line.