Hot College Athlete: Stephen Curry

The nominees for the 2008 ESPY Awards have just been announced, and only 3 current student athletes made the cut. Tim Tebow (Florida FB) and Tyler Hansbrough (UNC BB) are up against the recent college-turned-pro athlete Michael Beasley (Kansas State BB) for Best Male College Athlete. The third collegiate player to make the bill is Stephen Curry (Davidson BB). Curry will be vying for Best Breakthrough Athlete as the only nominee who still has his student status.

Sure Tebow has his Heisman and Hansbrough has won all major individual honors in men's college basketball; so it's no surprise that these stars have snatched ESPY honors. Stephen Curry on the other hand? Unless you're an avid college basketball fan, you probably have never heard of Curry, his father Dell, or Davidson College for that matter.

Curry and Davidson's shining moment of glory this past season was undoubtedly their upset win against Georgetown in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Reaching the Sweet 16, the cinderella team swept past third-seeded Wisconsin, making it to the Elite 8 where they ended the season against eventual tourney champs, the Kansas Jayhawks.

ACC schools are now racking their brains for reasons why they disregarded the all-star high school player from North Carolina who averaged 48% from beyond the line. Virginia Tech, his father's alma mater, offered him a spot as a walk-on, but Curry sought a better option as a starter for Davidson basketball. Rightly so. Curry is indeed a breakthrough player, tearing up courts left and right with a career high of 41 points. Fortunately for the Wildcats, the college junior will be back for the 2008-2009 season. I myself can't wait to see some more exciting 'David' vs. Goliath match-ups.

Watch the 2008 ESPYs on ESPN, Sunday July 20 at 9pm (ET), hosted by Justin Timberlake. Curry's competition? Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings), Kyle Busch (Nascar) and Ana Ivanovic (Tennis) are also up for Best Breakthrough Athlete.