When a GOAT speaks, we listen.
Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry shares his humble beginnings, mindset, and training in this inspirational memoir for anyone who wants to be great.
This hefty collectible book by the Golden State Warriors’ two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has many quotes, as well as fabulous photo spreads mostly by Christopher “Squint” Sandifer.
Ever the nice guy, the OG of the three-pointer begins humbly. “I was never the most gifted athlete—not the highest jumper or the fastest runner or the tallest player on the court.”
“But the work carried me through. I fell in love with the grind. You have to. With the sacrifices that it takes to be great, you have to find joy in the work you do when no one else is around.”
Steph’s book is similar in style to another GOAT’s memoir, “The Mamba Mentality” by Kobe Bryant. Both are written like a casual conversation with a big brother who is helping you train. I love Kobe’s book and reviewed it when it came out in 2018. My Gen Z teen enjoyed it too.
While The Mamba Mentality is a compact 218 pages that makes it easily portable to the gym or office if you want a quick motivational quote, Shot Ready has giant fonts at a hefty 411 pages. It may have been designed as a coffee table book instead of a handy daily companion.
Fans or not, readers who want to become a GOAT will appreciate the behind-the-scenes breakdown of Steph’s startling growth, process, technique, fails, and victories. It begins with an uncommon perspective.
“There was an audacity to shooting so much from so far out, it’s true. But when they started to go in, I established for myself that it wasn’t luck. I couldn’t help but think, Let’s get another one.”
As he began to sink those threes Steph grappled with the demands of becoming great. He shares how he handled many mounting pressures as he led his team to victories. Steph has carved a winning strategy that can be applied to any pursuit.
“Sometimes the biggest revolutions—in sports, in business, in technology, in politics—start with two simple questions: Why is this so hard? How can I make it easier?”
My only pet peeve with Steph’s book is some of the chopped layout. The editor forgot that this is a book and not a video, so a two-page photo spread is cut up by the binding, rendering the image useless, like the photo on pages 44-45 or the blown up quote on pages 104-105.
Overall, Shot Ready is a feast for fans. It’s a rare in-depth revelation directly from Stephen Curry. So many lessons from a Legend who isn’t yet done.
“You cannot be great and act with doubt. Whatever your endeavor, keep your mind full of positive thoughts about that goal being met. Trust in your preparation and believe in your ability—the things you can control—and your confidence will give you a huge advantage.”
I admire Steph for his hard work, ambition, and skill. But I’m more impressed with his well-bred values and unabashed faith. He has harnessed his success to give back to the community and opened the doors for young players like him who may not have the same opportunities to train for professional basketball.
I finally got to watch Steph last year. We came early and we saw him warm up with threes. He made it look so smooth and easy. But as with every astonishing physical feat, you can only reach that level of finesse through arduous effort.
“Being shot ready requires practice, training, and repetition, but it rewards work with an unmatchable feeling of transcendence.”
Ivy is a Jesuit-educated lawyer turned columnist and book reviewer. For the latest Silicon Valley books follow me @IvyDigest on YouTube.
Shot Ready
By Stephen Curry
Hardcover, 411 pages, 2025.
One World (Random House)
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/4snNJFG
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