X

NBA star Stephen Curry gets a little 'CoachUp' in funny video

Golden State Warriors star is offered coaching advice in humorous spot promoting online coaching site.

Terry Collins Staff Reporter, CNET News
Terry writes about social networking giants and legal issues in Silicon Valley for CNET News. He joined CNET News from the Associated Press, where he spent the six years covering major breaking news in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before the AP, Terry worked at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and the Kansas City Star. Terry's a native of Chicago.
Terry Collins
2 min read

Maybe even basketball's best shooter needs some advice from time to time.

That's the thought in this hilarious video featuring Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry while hawking CoachUp, a Boston-based startup that lets parents book private athletic coaches for their kids online.

The spot released Tuesday shows the two-time NBA MVP getting unsolicited shooting advice from some -- well, let's say unqualified -- spectators while raining jumpers in a gym, all with the theme that everybody thinks they're a coach.

"We think it's a good, lighthearted approach, " said CoachUp CEO John Kelley. "Fortunately, Stephen has a great sense of humor."

CoachUp is just one of many tech vehicles Curry is venturing. Not only is he an investor in CoachUp, Curry is also the face of PressPlay, a recently released app he's got a financial stake in. He's a co-founder of Slyce, a social media network, along with a former college teammate. And there's "StephMoji," a collage of emojis and anime for smartphones released this spring.

CoachUp has more than 20,000 coaches helping some 100,000 athletes, with basketball and soccer among its most popular sports. Curry, who last week set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a game, began backing CoachUp last year, crediting his success in the NBA to years of private coaching (beyond his sharpshooting father, Dell Curry, a respected three-point specialist in his own right who played 16 seasons in the NBA).

Supporting CoachUp is a way to pay it forward to help kids, Steph Curry has said.

"It's an extension of how much coaching has meant to me and helped me throughout my life," he said. "No matter their sport or skill level, kids should have access to great coaches to develop their game, hone their skills and build their confidence."