Little Boy Was Waiting In School For Mom To Pick Him Up, But Then Steph Curry Shows Up & Did THIS!
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It was a bright Tuesday afternoon in Boston, and 7-year-old Carl couldn’t sit still in his classroom. His mind wasn’t on math or reading—it was on the basketball court. Today wasn’t just any day; it was the day Carl had been counting down to for weeks. After school, his mom had promised to take him to the park to watch a basketball game featuring the best young players in the neighborhood. It was the biggest event of the local summer league, and Carl couldn’t wait.
As soon as the school bell rang, Carl grabbed his backpack and dashed out of the classroom. His heart pounded with excitement. He imagined sitting on the bleachers with his mom, eating popcorn, and cheering for the players. He sprinted down the hall, weaving through his classmates, and burst through the school’s double doors. Stepping onto the front steps, he scanned the row of cars parked along the sidewalk, searching for his mom’s blue sedan with the basketball sticker on the bumper.
But her car wasn’t there. Carl wasn’t worried—his mom had mentioned stopping to pick up ice cream and popcorn on the way. Deciding to wait by the gate, Carl sat down, his legs swinging idly as he watched other kids climb into their cars and wave goodbye. His best friend, Tommy, called out from his dad’s truck, “Bye, Carl! Have fun at the game!”
“Thanks! See you tomorrow!” Carl replied, waving back with a big smile. He was still confident his mom would be there any minute. But as more cars pulled away and the crowd of kids thinned, Carl’s excitement began to fade. The sun dipped lower in the sky, and 10 minutes turned into 15, then 30.
Carl’s stomach knotted with worry. His mom had never been this late before. He glanced at his watch, then back at the street, but there was no sign of her car. Maybe she hit traffic, or maybe something happened at work. Carl hugged his knees to his chest, trying not to cry. He was almost seven—practically a grown-up—and he didn’t want to act like a baby. But it was hard. Every distant siren made his heart race, and his mind filled with fears. What if something had happened to her?
Just as Carl thought he couldn’t wait any longer, he heard the hum of a car engine. He looked up, expecting to see his mom, but the car that pulled up was sleek and black—not the usual parent pickup vehicle. The door opened, and out stepped a tall man in a hoodie and sneakers. Carl froze as he recognized the face of none other than Steph Curry.
Carl’s jaw dropped. His favorite basketball player, the Steph Curry, was walking toward him with a warm smile. “Hey, buddy,” Steph said, his voice calm and kind. “You okay? Looks like you’ve been waiting a while.”
Carl stammered, his voice trembling. “My mom… my mom was supposed to pick me up. We were going to a basketball game, but she’s not here.”
Steph’s expression softened, and he knelt to Carl’s level. “Sounds like you’ve had a rough wait, huh?” Carl nodded, too awestruck to say much more.
“How about this,” Steph said gently. “Do you mind if I hang out with you until she gets here?”
Carl nodded again, still unsure if he was dreaming. Steph sat down beside him on the steps, leaving enough space so Carl didn’t feel crowded. “So, your mom’s taking you to see some basketball?” Steph asked. “You must really love the game.”
Carl’s face brightened a little. “I love basketball! I practice all the time in my backyard. My mom even got me a basketball with your name on it for Christmas!”
Steph grinned. “No way—that’s awesome! So, you’re a fan, huh? When I was your age, I was the smallest kid on the court. But I didn’t let that stop me. I’d stay out there practicing until it got too dark to see the hoop.”
“Really? You were the smallest?” Carl asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Steph laughed. “Oh yeah. I missed more shots than I made at first, but my dad always told me, ‘If you love the game, you’ll find a way to get better.’ Doesn’t matter how small you are—just keep playing and having fun.”
Carl listened intently, hanging on Steph’s every word. Seeing the boy’s excitement, Steph reached into his pocket and pulled out a small keychain—a miniature basketball with the Golden State Warriors logo. “Here,” he said, holding it out. “I want you to have this. Let it remind you to keep playing, even when things are tough.”
Carl took the keychain with trembling hands, treating it like the most precious gift in the world. “Thank you, Mr. Curry,” he whispered, his voice full of awe.
They talked longer, Steph asking Carl about his favorite players and games. The boy’s earlier fears melted away, replaced by joy and excitement. Then, with a playful glint in his eye, Steph said, “How about we play a quick pretend game while we wait?”
Carl’s face lit up, and he eagerly followed Steph to the empty school playground. Steph narrated the game, describing every move as Carl dribbled an imaginary ball, dodged invisible defenders, and made a last-second shot. In his mind, the ball swished perfectly through the net, and Carl threw his hands up triumphantly as Steph clapped and cheered.
Just as they finished, a familiar car pulled up to the curb. Carl’s mom stepped out, her face flushed with worry. “Carl! I’m so sorry I’m late, sweetheart. There was an emergency at work. Are you okay?”
Before Carl could answer, she noticed his flushed cheeks and beaming smile. “Mom, guess what—Steph Curry waited with me and played basketball!”
She turned, her eyes widening as she saw Steph standing nearby. “Thank you so much,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
“No problem at all,” Steph replied with a smile. “Carl’s a great kid. We had a lot of fun.”
Carl ran back to Steph, wrapping his arms around him in a quick hug. “Thank you, Mr. Curry. I’ll never forget this.”
“Anytime, buddy,” Steph said, ruffling Carl’s hair. “Keep playing, and remember—have fun. That’s what it’s all about.”
As Carl climbed into the car and they drove away, he kept looking out the back window, waving until Steph was out of sight. The keychain in his pocket was proof that this incredible day had been real. From then on, every time Carl picked up a basketball, he remembered Steph’s words: “Play with heart, never give up, and have fun.”
At school the next day, Carl became the talk of the playground. He told his classmates about waiting for his mom and ending up playing basketball with Steph Curry. Every time he shared the story, his friends listened in amazement, and Carl would proudly show them the keychain to prove it was true.
That day changed Carl forever. Basketball wasn’t just about winning anymore—it was about the joy of playing and the love of the game. And who knew? Maybe one day Carl would grow up to inspire another kid, just like Steph Curry had inspired him.
See More: Picking the 2025 NBA All-Star Game starters, reserves
Should LaMelo Ball be an All-Star Game starter? Should LeBron James?
The fans say yes with their votes. Now, those votes will be mixed with votes from NBA players and select media, and on Thursday the NBA All-Star Game starters will be announced on TNT. The only guarantees are that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic will be starters, and some other fan bases are going to feel snubbed and head to social media to vent.
Here are my votes for the starters, as well as my picks for who should be the All-Star reserves. As a quick reminder, the starters are chosen by a composite of fan votes (50%), player votes (25%) and media votes (25%). The reserves are determined by a vote of NBA coaches, who must select two guards and three frontcourt players and have two wild card selections.
Western Conference All-Stars
Starters
G. Stephen Curry
G. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
F. Nikola Jokic
F. Victor Wembanyama
F. Anthony Davis
Reserves
G. Anthony Edwards
G. Ja Morant
F. Domantas Sabonis
F. LeBron James
F. Kevin Durant
WC. Jalen Williams
WC. Devin Booker
SNUBS: Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), Kyrie Irving (Mavericks), James Harden (Clippers), Ivica Zubac (Clippers), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
The West is deep and choosing the reserves is brutal — deserving players will get left out. For example, in making these picks, I ended up snubbing the Houston Rockets, the team sitting second in the conference, by not giving them an All-Star. I’ll be the first to admit that’s not fair.
The last fan vote released had Kevin Durant and LeBron James as frontcourt starters for the West, but I have moved the future Hall of Famers to the bench to make way for guys I believe have earned it more with their play this season: Wembanyama and Davis. That puts a streak on the line: Will LeBron’s 20-year run of starting in the All-Star Game come to an end? Are we about to witness the start of a Wembanyama streak that should run for at least a decade?
Luka Doncic is the most challenging decision on the board. He is unquestionably an All-Star caliber player who led his team to the NBA Finals last season, but he’s also missed 20 games this season, including the last 12 (and counting). That said, he should be healthy and back by the time of the All-Star Game, and if he gets a spot, it’s hard to argue one of the game’s best should be sitting at home. Edwards may not have taken the step forward we hoped this season but he’s still an All-Star and the coaches should make him a reserve.
Sabonis gets a deserving nod for the Kings, but De’Aaron Fox is snubbed in favor of Jalen Williams (the Thunder need two representatives and Williams is more than qualified) and Devin Booker.
Eastern Conference All-Stars
Starters
G. Jalen Brunson
G. Donovan Mitchell
F. Giannis Antetokounmpo
F. Evan Mobley
F. Jayson Tatum
Reserves
G. Darius Garland
G. Trae Young
F. Karl-Anthony Towns
F. Bam Adebayo
F. Jaylen Brown
WC. Cade Cunningham
WC. Damian Lillard
SNUBS: Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Paolo Banchero (Magic), Tyler Herro (Heat), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
The fan vote has the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns as a starter — and he likely gets that spot when the starters are announced Thursday — but for my money, Evan Mobley’s two-way play and how that has lifted the Cavaliers earned him a starting spot. That said, no argument from me if Towns gets it, he is deserving.
The rest of the East starting five seems pretty obvious, although one could argue that Darius Garland should replace his teammate Booker as a starter.
Banchero would have been a given if he had not gotten injured. Tyrese Maxey also is a deserving All-Star dragged down by the 76ers team struggles, allowing Cunningham to jump over him. If (when) there are players who are out, Maxey and the Heat’s Tyler Herro should be the first in.
