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Steph Curry had a disappointing season with the NBA's Golden State Warriors but he still managed to add another piece of silverware to his trophy cabinet this year after a hole-in-one helped him win a celebrity golf tournament.
The 35-year-old aced a 152-yard par three at the American Century Championship on Saturday, just the fifth in the history of the event held on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Nevada.
Curry celebrated the hole-in-one by tossing away his cap and sprinting the length of the fairway, arms raised in celebration and soaking up the applause.
On Sunday, he drained a long eagle putt on the 18th to beat former tennis world number seven Mardy Fish, prompting chants of "MVP!"
"Knowing what the stakes were and accepting it, I've always dreamt of a situation like this on the 18th green in front of a crowd like that, to make the putt," he told NBC Sports.
"You stick to the routine and have so much confidence in yourself ... Thankfully it went in, which is insane. I've been playing for almost a decade, to finally get a win is pretty special."
Curry is only the second basketball player to win the tournament since the 54-hole event began in 1990. Former Sacramento Kings guard Vinny Del Negro won in 2021 at the age of 54.
RF Jr. NBA from July 22
Meanwhile, in other NBA news, the NBA and Reliance Foundation (RF), a non-profit organization that supports various philanthropic initiatives of Reliance Industries Limited, announced that the 10th consecutive year of the RF Jr. NBA program will tip off on July 22 and will feature free, nationwide basketball development clinics and tournaments for youth, coaches and teachers.
The RF Jr. NBA program is a comprehensive youth basketball development initiative that teaches the values and fundamentals of basketball to positively impact the lives of Indian youth.
This year’s program will feature:
RF Jr. NBA National Championship Tournament – For the first time, the NBA and RF will conduct 3-on-3 tournaments for U-12 and U-14 youth in 14 cities across India - Chennai, Kottayam, Mumbai, Kochi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Delhi, Aizawl and Jamshedpur - culminating with the RF Jr. NBA National Championship in Delhi in September that will crown the boys and girls U-12 and U-14 RF Jr. NBA national champions.
RF Jr. NBA Coaches Clinics – The NBA and RF will host in-person and virtual clinics for local coaches and physical education teachers that will teach techniques and best practices for team and player development at any level, including strength and conditioning, mental well-being and nutrition.
RF Jr. NBA RISE – The NBA and RF will offer additional training opportunities to select standout players in Aizawl and Chennai, as 10 boys and 10 girls from each city will be selected to participate in fortnightly weekend clinics throughout the year.
Participants will also receive complimentary basketball equipment to support their training and development.
“Basketball has a vast followership in India across varied geographies, with immense potential amongst young talent to pursue the sport,” said a Reliance Foundation spokesperson.
“We are pleased to work with NBA India to develop and make the sport more accessible with the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program. Reliance Foundation aims at developing the sports ecosystem in the country to make India a multi-sport nation.
“Our decade-long collaboration is a testament to the common vision we share, through which we have been able to impact millions of children, train hundreds of coaches, and support communities with our expertise and knowledge.
“We look forward to this year, which promises to be even more exciting with new additions to the program, offering more opportunities and exposure.
“We’re excited to launch the 10th edition of the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA basketball program in India, which over the past decade has engaged millions of children and educators across the country and provided them with the resources to develop as players and leaders,” said NBA India Country Head Rajah Chaudhry.
“We’re especially looking forward to introducing new and impactful formats, programs and clinics as part of this year’s edition, which we believe will build on the positive momentum around basketball in India and inspire more youth to learn and play the game.”
The RF Jr. NBA program has reached more than 11 million youth and 13,000 physical education instructors across 34 cities nationwide since 2013.
