Michael Singer

USA TODAY



Not only did Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry beat his own NBA record for most three-pointers in a season, he obliterated it.



Curry’s 402 three-pointers, set on the final day of the regular season, shattered his own previous record of 286 from the prior season. But each of those threes carried far greater implications than anything pertaining to the Bay Area – even if the Warriors would go on to set the single-season record for wins.



For the fourth consecutive year, Curry has been a champion for the United Nation Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, a grassroots initiative aimed at protecting children in Africa from malaria. For each one of his three-pointers, Curry sends three insecticide-treated mosquito nets to sub-Saharan Africa, good for 3,663 nets over the past four seasons.



In 2013 Curry traveled to Tanzania with Nothing But Nets and Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly to distribute bed nets in a refugee camp and see his work first-hand. It was Reilly’s initial column on the back page of SI that brought attention to the issue, in which he challenged readers to donate $10 to send nets.



The Warriors have contributed funds and Curry has even inspired several Detroit Pistons players to join the cause, but the reigning MVP’s platform still hasn’t been leveraged to its full extent. That’s why Curry, with support from Malaria No More and USAID, helped launch the Call Your Shot campaign on Saturday night just two days before World Malaria Day.



The concept is simple: film – and make – your version of a trick shot (basketball or otherwise), share it with the #CallYourShot hashtag and challenge your friends to donate at CallYourShot.org.

Say what you will about the ice bucket challenge for ALS, but according to Business Insider, the viral stunt raised $220 million dollars. It’s impossible to know yet what type of impact the #CallYourShot campaign could yield, but it’s a social challenge nonetheless, kickstarted by the NBA’s trick shot wizard. For comparison’s sake, the ice bucket challenge reached a tipping point due to a Boston College baseball player.



Curry challenged Dub Nation and his brother Seth, and he also called out TNT’s Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal. It's possible his popularity could catalyze the trend throughout the playoffs.

Obama, who has worked with Curry on other initiatives and is adamant about making this a legacy issue, mentioned the fight against malaria in his final State of the Union.



The concept was years in the making. Curry first went to the White House in February 2015 to speak on behalf of the President’s Malaria Initiative, which has increased its annual appropriations to effected areas since 2009. They kept the conversation going later in August when the two golfed together … and Obama chauffeured the newly-crowned NBA champion. The Warriors were honored at the White House in February, and Obama singled out Curry, who had scored 51 points on 11 three-pointers the night before.



“That’s 33 nets, so keep shooting Steph,” Obama quipped.



The timing of the launch isn’t a coincidence. Curry missed Games 2 and 3 of the Warriors-Rockets first round series but is expected to return for Game 4 on Sunday. By that time perhaps he and many more will be calling their shot.

