Stephen Curry on his injury and the NBA's response to the Stephon Clark shooting
NEW YORK -- Two-time NBA champion Stephen Curry is making his presence felt -- even as he recovers from a knee injury that has him sidelined as the regular season winds down. In the wake of the police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, Curry is speaking out about how athletes can bring about change. He recently spoke with CBS Sports' Bill Reiter on CBS Sports HQ about his recovery, how he wants to be remembered after his career and what he's doing to help the community of Oakland, California.
Curry said his recovery from the knee injury is "coming along pretty well" and he hopes return to the court soon. "Hopefully when the playoffs come around I'll be in a good condition to come back on the court as soon as possible," he said. He's expected to miss at least three weeks due to an MCL sprain he suffered during a game March 23.
The 30-year-old guard for the Golden State Warriors also addressed the NBA's response to the police shooting of Clark in Sacramento. Former NBA player Matt Barnes led a rally with Clark's family over the weekend where demonstrators demanded the officers involved be held accountable for killing Clark, a 22-year-old black man who was unarmed when police opened fire in his grandmother's backyard. Players with the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics recently wore black T-shirts that read "Accountability. We are one" on the front, and "#StephonClark" on the back.
"Everybody has a voice, everybody has an opportunity to stand for something and to speak how they feel. I think as NBA players, we've done a great job of embracing that responsibility and being a voice for people who don't have one for themselves," Curry said.
He added, "You see what happened in Sacramento and across the league when it comes to any issue and us NBA guys are not afraid of that opportunity and using it for good and to create a conversation for change. We're on that mission for sure."
Curry also spoke about his work with Brita's "Filter for the Future" campaign to bring clean water to kids who attend schools with contaminated water in Oakland and across the country. Curry said, "$1 is going toward providing hydration stations for schools across the country who are dealing with lead and contamination issues." Curry has a sponsorship deal with the company.
"It's obviously great for the students, great for the schools but also great for the environment. The waste that's being used by so much water bottles across the country," he explained. "That's how you can get involved, support the cause and protect the future with our youth."