Imagine being able to call Barack Obama and Michelle Obama your friends? Well, Stephen Curry can't believe it either.
The Golden State Warriors icon shared how he and his wife, Ayesha Curry, became friends with the former president and First Lady. He first met Barack through their shared passion for philanthropy, where they supported Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly's Nothing But Nets, founded in 2006, to help treat and prevent malaria in East Africa. The foundation now goes by United To Beat Malaria, and Steph donated three nets for every three-pointer he made during the 2012-13 season.
In an interview with People, Steph spoke about his and Ayesha's friendship with Barack and Michelle, which he called “special.”
“It never feels normal to say you're friends with the president and the First Lady, but it's special,” says Stephen.
“It started with one of my college buddies who did a fundraiser at Davidson,” Steph continued. “Then, I joined the council and did a couple of panels and speeches at Capitol Hill, and got to go to the Oval Office for the first time.”
The friendship deepened over a summer when they met up at Martha's Vineyard where the Obamas were known to vacation during his two-term presidency.
“Then, I think it turned out that we got to play golf with him when we went to Martha's Vineyard one year and spent some more time with both him and Michelle. It's special,” he adds.
It's no secret that Barack is a huge basketball fan — he adapted the White House tennis court to add a basketball hoop and lines during his presidency — and it comes up as a conversation between the former president and four-time NBA champion.
“Every time I talk to him, he's asking something about the game, and I'm like, oh, he knows because he's been watching,” Steph said.
The friendship is still going strong as Steph and Ayesha were spotted with Barack and Michelle at the NBA All-Star Weekend last month.
