Indazone
01-26-2009, 03:37 AM
After tragic shooting, benched Eddy Curry's life, NBA career in shambles
BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sunday, January 25th 2009, 10:25 PM
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/26/amd_curry-vs-nets.jpg Keivom/News Eddy Curry, once thought to be NBA's next big thing, struggles to deal with life and basketball ...
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/26/amd_nova-henry-1.jpg ... after the shooting of Nova Henry.
Related News
Articles
Knick's nightmare continues as 3-year-old left alone for hours with bodies CURRY'S SON WITH DEAD MA (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2009/01/25/2009-01-25_for_knicks_eddy_curry_nightmare_continue.html)
Sources: Son, 3, of Knicks center Eddy Curry witnesses brutal murders (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/01/24/2009-01-24_sources_son_3_of_knicks_center_eddy_curr.html)
Larry Brown (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Larry+Brown+(Basketball)) once branded Eddy Curry (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Eddy+Curry) the cornerstone of the franchise, a center in the Patrick Ewing (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Patrick+Ewing) mold who would dominate the rest of the NBA (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/National+Basketball+Association) and lead the Knicks (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/New+York+Knicks) back to prominence.
Big, mobile and talented, Curry seemed to possess all the physical tools to support Brown's bold claim. But three years after the Hall of Fame coach predicted greatness for the young center, Curry's career is now at a crossroads, and his personal life in crisis.
These days, no one is mentioning Curry in the same breath with the league's top big men. Instead, friends, teammates and former coaches wonder if Curry - injured, out of shape and facing unimaginable personal hardship - will ever play again, much less return to being a starting center.
"Who knows what will happen?" Charles Oakley (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Charles+Oakley) said. "I like Eddy. But you just don't know. He's gone through a lot on and off the court."
Curry's last two seasons have been beset by injuries and personal tragedy. On Saturday, Curry's former girlfriend, the mother of his 3-year-old son, was found shot to death in her Chicago (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Chicago) apartment. A relative found the bodies of Nova Henry (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Nova+Henry), 24, and her 9-month-old daughter, Ava, according to Chicago police. Curry's son was found unharmed at the scene. Curry has four children with his wife, Patrice.
In 2007, Curry and Patrice were bound and robbed inside their suburban Chicago mansion, the victims of a home invasion by three assailants. Just two weeks ago, Curry claimed to be a victim when his former driver filed a civil lawsuit accusing Curry of making sexual advances and pointing a loaded gun at him. The ex-driver, David Kuchinsky (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/David+Kuchinsky), also accused Curry of directing racist comments toward him. Curry has denied all claims.
"I can't imagine what he's going through," said Rick Brunson (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Rick+Brunson), Curry's friend and former teammate with the Chicago Bulls (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Chicago+Bulls). "He's always been one of my favorites. He's just a big, joyful kid."
Curry is expected to return home to Chicago for Henry's funeral, but a team source indicated that Curry will be with the Knicks for tonight's home game against the Houston Rockets (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Houston+Rockets).
Curry, though, is injured and will not play. The one-time franchise center has appeared in just one game this season due to chronic right knee pain. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Mike+D'Antoni) recently said the 6-11, 320-pound Curry needs to lose weight before he plays.
Curry has told teammates he would welcome a change-of-scenery trade and the Knicks are willing to accommodate him. However, considering Curry's condition and state of mind, a deal is unlikely. Curry, 26, will earn $9.7 million this year and will be paid an additional $22 million through the 2010-11 season.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2009/01/25/2009-01-25_after_tragic_shooting_benched_eddy_curry.html
BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sunday, January 25th 2009, 10:25 PM
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/26/amd_curry-vs-nets.jpg Keivom/News Eddy Curry, once thought to be NBA's next big thing, struggles to deal with life and basketball ...
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/26/amd_nova-henry-1.jpg ... after the shooting of Nova Henry.
Related News
Articles
Knick's nightmare continues as 3-year-old left alone for hours with bodies CURRY'S SON WITH DEAD MA (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2009/01/25/2009-01-25_for_knicks_eddy_curry_nightmare_continue.html)
Sources: Son, 3, of Knicks center Eddy Curry witnesses brutal murders (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/01/24/2009-01-24_sources_son_3_of_knicks_center_eddy_curr.html)
Larry Brown (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Larry+Brown+(Basketball)) once branded Eddy Curry (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Eddy+Curry) the cornerstone of the franchise, a center in the Patrick Ewing (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Patrick+Ewing) mold who would dominate the rest of the NBA (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/National+Basketball+Association) and lead the Knicks (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/New+York+Knicks) back to prominence.
Big, mobile and talented, Curry seemed to possess all the physical tools to support Brown's bold claim. But three years after the Hall of Fame coach predicted greatness for the young center, Curry's career is now at a crossroads, and his personal life in crisis.
These days, no one is mentioning Curry in the same breath with the league's top big men. Instead, friends, teammates and former coaches wonder if Curry - injured, out of shape and facing unimaginable personal hardship - will ever play again, much less return to being a starting center.
"Who knows what will happen?" Charles Oakley (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Charles+Oakley) said. "I like Eddy. But you just don't know. He's gone through a lot on and off the court."
Curry's last two seasons have been beset by injuries and personal tragedy. On Saturday, Curry's former girlfriend, the mother of his 3-year-old son, was found shot to death in her Chicago (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Chicago) apartment. A relative found the bodies of Nova Henry (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Nova+Henry), 24, and her 9-month-old daughter, Ava, according to Chicago police. Curry's son was found unharmed at the scene. Curry has four children with his wife, Patrice.
In 2007, Curry and Patrice were bound and robbed inside their suburban Chicago mansion, the victims of a home invasion by three assailants. Just two weeks ago, Curry claimed to be a victim when his former driver filed a civil lawsuit accusing Curry of making sexual advances and pointing a loaded gun at him. The ex-driver, David Kuchinsky (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/David+Kuchinsky), also accused Curry of directing racist comments toward him. Curry has denied all claims.
"I can't imagine what he's going through," said Rick Brunson (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Rick+Brunson), Curry's friend and former teammate with the Chicago Bulls (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Chicago+Bulls). "He's always been one of my favorites. He's just a big, joyful kid."
Curry is expected to return home to Chicago for Henry's funeral, but a team source indicated that Curry will be with the Knicks for tonight's home game against the Houston Rockets (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Houston+Rockets).
Curry, though, is injured and will not play. The one-time franchise center has appeared in just one game this season due to chronic right knee pain. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Mike+D'Antoni) recently said the 6-11, 320-pound Curry needs to lose weight before he plays.
Curry has told teammates he would welcome a change-of-scenery trade and the Knicks are willing to accommodate him. However, considering Curry's condition and state of mind, a deal is unlikely. Curry, 26, will earn $9.7 million this year and will be paid an additional $22 million through the 2010-11 season.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2009/01/25/2009-01-25_after_tragic_shooting_benched_eddy_curry.html