Two top athletes in the world talked about their lives on the world's oldest basketball court in September this year, the YMCA basketball court in Paris. Stephen Curry and Neymar , talk about their life stories.
The Players’ Tribune
First of all, when did you two realize that they wanted to make a living with football or basketball when they were young?
Stephen Curry
For me, I knew basketball was what I had to do in my life when I was about six years old. I was playing in a junior league in my hometown of North Carolina. At that time, there were about 15 spectators in the stands. At that time, I was playing 2-for-1, and I took the ball. When the defender came to defend me, I didn't do the usual kind of pass on the chest or hit the ground, or layup. I jumped up and made a 360-degree turn, and at the same time passed the ball from behind, completely hitting the target, and my teammate scored a layup. Then all the 15 viewers in the stands were very excited. Of course the action was really cool. It was at that time that my creativity began to be exerted and I also understood why everyone had such a reaction. So, that moment was when I knew basketball was really fun to me, and I loved it very much, probably that was it. And you?
Neymar Jr.
There are about two moments, the first one is when I was 3 years old. When my mom asked me what gift I wanted, I ran around the street and chose a football. The second moment, I might be 6, 7 years old, but Santos won the championship, I celebrated their victory with my dad and the fans, and then I saw those players passing by us on a carnival parade and I waved to them. After these two moments, I told myself: I want to be a football player.
Steph
This is very interesting, you see other people's ideas about playing football. I sometimes take this for granted because my father played in NBA, so I was influenced by it almost every day.
Neymar
Your father played the ball, so did my father.
Steph
Yes, but we all know that we need to find our passion for this sports, and we cannot bring you into this sports just because my father has played basketball. We all need to figure out whether this exercise is attractive to me, so that's fine.
TPTh
Speaking of your fathers, if it were them sitting in front of me now, not yourself, what do you think is the most interesting story they can think of when you were young? For example, a family interesting story, what do you think they will say?
Steph
If it were my father, he might have two stories. The first one is how I left this little scar. On my last year of high school, we were in the same city as our opponents, participating in the competition my father had. Before the game, I was in the locker room. I was very excited to have a competition. There was a beam in the locker room. I was doing preparations: "Let's start playing, we will win." I jumped up and wanted to make my teammates excited, but then I hit the beam, broke my forehead, and my face was covered in blood. So when I was on the game, there was a huge butterfly-shaped band sticking on my forehead. He likes to tell this story because first, he sees my wound, secondly because he knows that whenever there is a big moment, I will always be very excited and always be ready to start the competition. But I need to be careful where I jump.
The other one was when I was in my sophomore year. I made a key goal at the last minute of the game against Gonzaga, which helped our school win our first NCAA college league win, and when I scored that goal, I immediately pointed to my dad because I understood how important that moment was to our whole family. Because that meant he passed the next shot of playing basketball to me, I was able to play basketball at a high level, so that moment was cool because it was a moment on the basketball court with my father.
Neymar
Same is my father, and he and I are on the court. He would say, "Do this, son. Like this, that." My father and I have a story like this: every move, he will whistle, so that I will understand what I need to do. So he helped me a lot in playing football on the court. When I heard him blowing the whistle, I knew I didn't do what he said.
Another story with my father was that it was when I was injured. One of my father's games was just over. I was wearing football shoes and playing the ball while walking, but I accidentally slipped and fell. We had to hurry to go to the hospital, my dad just finished the game, so he was very angry.
TPTh
Neymar, can you tell us what the Champions League final looks like? Steph, tell us what it feels like in an NBA final? What is the most memorable memory in your mind when it comes to these? I woke up on the morning of the first day of training in the NBA finals. The feeling I still can’t describe. I feel that the air is filled with different atmospheres, which is a completely different kind of tension and adrenaline. Because you know you're very close to your end goal, everything feels a little slower. This kind of thing related to training, traveling to the road until the moment the finals begin, all of this is crazy more than anything in the regular season, or even the playoffs. And your attention has been changed because you understand how true this is, many things have been sublimated to another level, and to be honest, I often dream about these. Because when you taste that feeling once, it's hard to be so excited about other games, because you've already tasted the supreme excitement of playing in the finals and winning the championship. So I think this is the best statement: everything goes slowly, but at the same time, what you realize is the extreme concentration you never imagined.
So I think this is the best statement: everything goes slowly, but at the same time, what you realize is the extreme concentration you never imagined.
Neymar
is indeed different. I feel like I'm more nervous about watching an NBA final than myself in the Champions League. But it is indeed very different. The Champions League final also has such an atmosphere that makes you have to be very focused. It's different from a regular game. When I first played in the Champions League final, I felt very nervous, but after the game started, I relaxed. Because you know why you are there, you are trying to play that game. So, as time goes by, it will feel more and more natural.
Steph
is right, you are right. In fact, it is the same football or basketball, the same venue, no difference. The same goes for basketball, but before the final, there are always things that seem to be scaring ourselves, so nervous that you will forget that all I need to do is throw the basketball into the basket, just like I do every day.
Neymar
I think I'm more nervous than playing myself. I really like Steph's skills and the Warriors. I'm usually very nervous when watching the game. But I had to calm down when playing the finals myself. At that time, the 2016 NBA Finals was my first time watching the NBA Finals. I was very afraid that I was there, but they lost.
Steph
When your father watched you play, was he so nervous? My father said he was like that.
Neymar
pair, same.
TPTh
What is your favorite story about your own children?
Steph
As a father, each of us has countless stories. There are funny things happening every day. The most interesting story about my eldest daughter Riley has been this so far. She is 6 years old now. When she sees me wearing my usual clothes, she will call me dad or Stephen. Oh no, when I am wearing my usual clothes, she will call me dad. But when I put on my jersey, she would call me: Stephen Curry, No. 30.I wear jerseys and games, and I wear my usual clothes, and I have a world of difference. She called me a different name. At that time I realized that they would notice everything about you, you can't hide anything, so she would be able to distinguish my different identities. I said that from a fan's perspective, for her, a No. 30 Warriors jersey representative Curry , this character is different from "Dad".
Neymar
One day my son saw a TV commercial at school with his friends. If I remember correctly, it is an advertisement for the Brazilian national team competition. I was on TV at the time. So my son said, "That's my dad." Then one of my friends said, "Impossible, he's not your dad." My son said, "Yes, he's my dad." His friend said, "No, Neymar cannot be your dad." Then they started a quarrel, and the teacher had to intervene and talk to them. My son was very sad because no one believed him.
Steph
Actually many children are saying in school: "My dad? Oh, my dad is Neymar" "Oh, let's go." How old is your son this year?
Neymar
7 years old
Steph
My eldest daughter is 6 years old, then the second daughter is 3 years old, the youngest is 2 months old. So one every three years, we should be fine. 2 daughters and one son. So I was very satisfied and very happy.
TPTh
Can you tell the other party what it feels like to play against the best athletes in the world? Steph, for example, when you are playing against James. Neymar, when you play against Messi and Ronaldo.
Steph
When you play against those great players, they can inspire and push you, or they have what you didn't have before, so you'll want to catch up with them. This can easily cost you a lot. Because you know, first of all, how difficult it is to climb to the top, how much effort and sweat it takes. You need to try to find a little bit of your own excellence, both mentally and physically, so that you can chase them and know you're catching up with them. For me, I remember watching the video of myself and James’s first matchup, which was my rookie year, from that moment to the time we played against them in the NBA Finals in 2015, I thought: That first matchup, I really wanted to be strong and outstanding because I witnessed a great player in front of me. So when you compete with James, you witness his greatness, allowing you to learn and make continuous progress, and even if you fail, you can continue to grow. And then for me, we finally reached the top.
The whole process, when I retire and look back, and when I think back to the seven years from the rookie to the first championship, I will be very proud and cherish the whole process, because it is not easy to be able to play such a high level in every game like us, which will make me particularly cherish the process along the way.
Neymar
Faced with Messi and Ronaldo, I used to be teammates with Messi. To me, he is one of the greatest players in football history and he is also my idol. Every day I can learn from him, whether it is training, playing in the same game with him, or watching him play. All of this made me stronger and my skills on the field improved because I kept learning from him.
As for Ronaldo, he is simply a monster. Being able to play against him is a kind of enjoyment and glory, and we must prepare harder. He is also one of the greatest players in history. You will gradually become smarter and more focused, but at the same time you will learn a lot from him. I admire both of them because I want to keep learning and win. I long for more trophys, more goals.
I admire both of them because I want to keep learning and win. I long for more trophys, more goals.
Steph
The coolest thing about
is that now I know how to improve my level. These great players inspire you to play to your best.Then you will feel that when you rise to that level, when they respect you and see you as a tricky opponent, you can also start to motivate the other party to play to their highest level. This mutual promotion and motivation is the reason why we play basketball, which is the meaning of our business. This makes me know more about cherishing all the efforts that everyone has put in, you know, the efforts behind the efforts they put in to make themselves outstanding. You have to choose what you want to learn, but always keep yourself so that you can finally get to where you want.
TPTh
Suppose we are making a movie about your life, what moments do you think you must include in the movie? For example, a moment that changes your life, or some moments that make you?
Steph
If my life is made into a movie, the thing that must be in it is that I don’t remember exactly which day, but it was the summer of 2012. I just had my second ankle surgery. I was sitting on the couch inside my Charlotte home. There are only two people, my wife and I. I think she may never have heard me say anything that doubts herself, or doubts that she recovered from injury, because I am always a more optimistic person. I am the kind of person who always feels that the water in the water cup is half full.
But that period really tested my psychological strength. I always wondered how I could survive the second summer of recovering from injury, and I had no idea where the end was. Like we just said, you always want to pursue great achievements, you want to be a great player, but for one I can’t control is my health, and for me, my ankle. Then my wife said to me, "Don't forget who you are." That allowed me to focus on my goals, so that two or three years later, I not only returned to the court, but also won the championship.
So that scene was my lowest point, and from that time on, I could only keep moving upwards.
Neymar
I have two moments. The first one is when I hurt my back. At that time, I was living a dreamy life, and after being injured, it all ended all at once. To me, it's just the end of the world. I said to myself: Can I still return to the court? My family and friends are very important to me, they cheer me up and let me get back on the field.
Another thing is this year when my first surgery was over. It was very close to the 2018 World Cup at that time, and my family, girlfriends and friends were always by my side to support me. They made me believe in my dream again: I can play the World Cup again. These two moments of
are very important to me. My family and friends are crucial in both of these return stories.
Steph
Yes. They are with you at your lowest point, but you can also celebrate success with them at their best. This is the secret. Because I know how important family is to you, and you can't do what you want without them supporting you behind your back. So this can be revealed throughout the process, absolutely.
TPTh
Please take us into your respective locker rooms. I wonder who the funny guy on your team is, and what are the moments that have made you laugh in the past few years?
Steph
The funnyest person on our team is Klay Thompson. But the funny thing is that I don't think he knows it. He always has all kinds of undiscovered knowledge, and then I always say some strange knowledge from time to time, such as how many gallons of water are in Lake Tahoe, and so on. But what I want to say is not a story that makes me laugh or what he said makes me particularly funny. It was the incident where he scored 60 points in the third quarter two years ago. We always joke that Clay is late for everything, such as sometimes he will be late for training, or warm up.
He didn't go to the training day before that game, he didn't show up, and none of us could find him. It’s not that he’s late, he didn’t go to train at all, you know?So the next day we were a little worried about how he was in the same state. As a result, this guy read his newspaper before the game as usual, and then scored 60 points in three quarters, just when he missed the training the day before.
So this kind of thing makes you laugh and cry because you can't even know when Clay will appear, but he can surprise you like that game, or some strange knowledge that only Google knows.
I told the coach that the coach should tell Clay: Hey, just don’t come to train, and then we’ll see you on game night.
Neymar
The funnyest person we are Alves . He is a very good person. I always like to watch the sings he posted. Also, he is joking with everyone in the locker room. He can always inspire our momentum and he has a lot of positive energy. He will nickname everyone. So he always has a lot of different stories to tell, but what we like most is that he posted some karaoke videos on instagram, and we started laughing as soon as he sang, and we liked him doing these things very much.
The name he gave himself was "so crazy good crazy".
Steph
Haha, you need such a person by your side, you really need them in the locker room. The season is long, so some jokes and a good atmosphere are important, but what you said is really funny.
Neymar
He is the oldest, but he is really a great person. Hahaha!
(The Players' Tribune)
