Golden State Warriors perennial All-Star Stephen Curry and NBA prospect Scoot Henderson are teaming up to form a strategic alliance built on common values in an effort to encourage and promote the future of youth sports.
Curry and Henderson are in lockstep partly because of their entrepreneurial vision, Curry said in a statement. He also said they’re committed to equity, equality and prioritizing family and hard work.
“What he and the Henderson Family are building is transformative and will change the narrative for how athletes and their families leverage their influence. I truly admire that we share a common interest and commitment to promoting equity and access for athletes through youth sports and empowering the next generation,” Curry said. “As I look towards the future of the NBA and the broader world of sports, Scoot embodies the next evolution of the game over the years, demonstrating the importance of playing for something greater than oneself.”
Henderson’s family already operates multiple businesses and philanthropic initiatives. Team Henderson includes Scoot’s father, Chris, his mother, Crystal, and siblings Diamond, Jade, China, Onyx, CJ and Moochie. The Next Play 360 nonprofit offers basketball training along with STEM education programs for K-12 students.
Scoot Henderson, 19, said Curry’s profound impact and community focus drew him to the partnership.
“This is an incredible opportunity and a dream come true for me, as I have grown up watching Stephen on and off the court, admiring him from afar as he disrupted the game and built empowering businesses over the past decade. His accomplishments are inspiring, and I want to learn from Stephen and the team he has assembled and take the reins of my own future,” he said.
Henderson is ranked among the top five players in the 2023 NBA draft after two years in the NBA G League. He averaged 18.3 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game last season.
While 7-foot-4 French forward Victor Wembanyama appears to be the unanimous top prospect and likely pick of the San Antonio Spurs, Henderson told ESPN on Tuesday night that he’s not convinced Wembanyama or any other player is better than him.
“I think I just got that dog in me. I got it in me. Sometimes people got it on them, but I got it in me,” Henderson said. “That’ll never change. I’ve been the same since I was in high school playing basketball. It’s just a mindset. I think it’s a mindset thing, and I’m just the most prepared player in the draft, honestly, I think. [I’ve] been playing professionally for two years now. I went through all the ups and downs as a rookie would, and I’m going 1684349881 to my rookie year.”
This story originally appeared on ESPN
