Curry aims to inspire with kids’ book

On nearly every basketball court around the world, you’ll see players of all sizes regularly attempting long 3-point shots. There’s one man largely credited with transforming basketball from a mustsee above-the-rim game to box-office long-range shooting: Stephen Curry.

But the Golden State Warriors megastar who broke the NBA’s all-time 3-point record last season is now aiming at a different target: children’s books.

“This is our first project out and (we want) to hopefully reach the next generation of kids that are dreaming big, are going to be the next leaders and game changers,” said Curry of “I Have a Superpower,” illustrated by Geneva Bowers. “We want them to be able to set their sights on what they want to accomplish in the world and really believe that it’s possible.”

The father of three says the book was partly inspired by his own children’s love of reading. “You kind of have your kids in mind when you’re talking about a book, and then you realize that this is kind of a universal opportunity to reach the next generation,” Curry said.

This interview with Curry has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What do you want kids to learn from the book? A:

We’re all unique and we all have something to offer the world. And if you have a work ethic, if you have a belief and you feel like whatever that requires is already inside of you, then good things will happen.

Q: What would you tell parents who might say it’s easy for you to tell kids “just work hard”? A:

You can always go back to when I started playing

basketball when I was 5 years old — I first started playing organized basketball at 9. I was undersized, scrawny and never, ever talked about as being the greatest at anything. And (I) had to go through those experiences of trying and failing ... I think that’s something that most people will hopefully be able to learn from, connect with and be inspired by.

Q: You and your wife, Ayesha, are building a media brand with TV shows and books. Why choose that media space to make an impact? A:

There are a lot of different mediums to storytell and to inspire. And publishing and writing this book is another example of ways to connect and kind of broaden your horizons ... my wife showed me how it’s done, so now I got to follow in her footsteps a little bit.

Q: Sports fans know that

you’ve probably transformed the way basketball is played forever. Are you personally aware of how you’ve changed the game? A:

I’m aware, but part of it is for me to keep doing what I’m doing in my career and hopefully stay at this level for as long as I can. … The biggest message for how I changed the game is that is possible, how I play is definitely possible. But it requires a crazy amount of work that I’ve been doing since I was 9 years old. So, I don’t want anybody to feel like they can skip steps to get there.

Sept. 18 birthdays: Actor Robert Blake is 89. Actor Frankie Avalon is 82. Actor Anna Deavere Smith is 72. Actor Holly Robinson Peete is 58. Singer Ricky Bell is 55. Actor Aisha Tyler is 52. Actor Jada Pinkett Smith is 51. Actor James Marsden is 49. Comedian Jason Sudeikis is 47. TV host Sara Haines is 45. Actor Billy Eichner is 44.

JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION Stephen Curry, seen July 20 with wife Ayesha, has released a kids’ book,“I Have a Superpower.”