Steph Curry didn’t end the 2025-26 NBA season with any hardware, but he racked up some important accolades to kick off the summer. On Tuesday night, it was announced that Curry was the 2026 recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, which was granted to him at the ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Awards ceremony in New York City ahead of the 2026 ESPYs.
The award, which is granted through the Muhammad Ali Center, is given annually to an athlete who uses their leadership for good in their community.
Curry was honored along with his wife Ayesha for their non-profit, the Eat Learn Play foundation, which seeks to increase reading and literacy, promote educational equity, create safe spaces for children to play sports, and end childhood hunger. In receiving the award from the late Ali’s wife, Lonnie Ali, Curry said, “Oakland gave us so much love, support and energy, and this is how we are able to continue to get back to the community that has wrapped its arms around us from the very beginning back in 2009. We’re just excited to meet kids where they already are every single day, because if you invest in a child, you’re investing in everything that’s possible for their future.”
Curry has made it no secret that he doesn’t want basketball to be the biggest part of his legacy. That is certainly in line with the spirit of Ali, who is perhaps better known for his political and social activism and philanthropy than for his sporting accomplishments, despite being one of the greatest athletes of all time.
This is the 12th year of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. The previous winners, in reverse chronological order, are Sloane Stephens, the Maui surfing community, Jrue and Lauren Holiday, Albert Pujols, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Nelson Cruz, Chris Long, Kevin Durant, Mark Giordano, Chris Paul, and Tamika Catchings.
Congrats to Steph and Ayesha.
