Steph Curry Fires Back at Nick Young and Gilbert Arenas Over Ayesha Curry Movie Jabs
In an Instagram video message posted on Wednesday, November 11, the four-time NBA champion, 38, directly addressed the former players and pundits who had been mocking Ayesha's acting career and her new holiday film. "I've been hearing a lot of noise and usually the noise doesn't bother me, it doesn't bother Ayesha," Steph said. "But this one in particular, when you're trying to step on the accomplishments of my wife..."
The row began after Ayesha, 37, took the leading role in the new Roku holiday romance Second Chance Holiday, which premiered on the platform on November 5. Clips of a kissing scene between Ayesha and her co-star Matthew Daddario began circulating on social media — and several sports podcasters seized on them. Former NBA stars Gilbe
rt Arenas, 44, and Nick Young, 41, discussed Ayesha on their podcast We Said What We Said, with Arenas calling her "the only blemish" in the Curry family because, in his words, she "doesn't act like the other superstars' wives." Young, who played alongside Steph on the Warriors' 2018 championship team, joined in the criticism.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho also weighed in on his Speakeasy podcast, where he and his co-hosts watched a trailer for the film and questioned Steph for promoting it online and calling Ayesha his "leading lady." Acho said he understood "why Steph Curry is getting clowned" and claimed Ayesha had repeatedly suggested she was not that into her husband — a suggestion Steph clearly took as an attack on their marriage. Former NFL running back LeSean McCoy also questioned why Ayesha had agreed to take the role at all.
What Steph Said in His Video
Steph named the men one by one. "Nick, Gil, Emmanuel — and anybody else who feels the need to wanna have to, you know, jump in and give an opinion of something you don't really know about," he said, before widening the point far beyond his own family. He said the comments spoke "to a bigger conversation on how you view women in this world and what they're allowed and what they're not allowed to do, even the ignorance behind how acting works."
The basketball star, who has been married to Ayesha since 2011, made clear that he had tried to laugh the whole thing off — but that there comes a point when silence stops being the right response. "Obviously I tried to laugh this off, but something needs to be said," he added.
He also had a message for anyone tempted to use his wife's name to drive clicks and podcast downloads. "Anytime Ayesha Curry shows up in your headline, I kindly suggest you just give the, you know, the happy hands, the congratulations," he said — a reminder that the couple's marriage, and Ayesha's career, are not open season for hot takes.
The Apologies — and the Free Publicity
Steph's message landed quickly. Shortly after the video went up, all three men apologised. Young was the most direct, saying on the Gil's Arena podcast: "I'm sorry, Steph. You my dog, I love you. If I offended you, I apologize like a man." Arenas also apologised, saying he was sorry if Steph had been offended, while Acho acknowledged that his comments may have offended both Steph and Ayesha.
Steph ended his video with a touch of humour — and a plug. "Appreciate the free pub[licity]. Thanks for giving a nice shoutout to the 'Second Chance Holiday,' which y'all can find on Roku — starring Ayesha Curry," he said. He also shared photos of his wife from a promotional event for the film, making clear that he is proud of her work and intends to keep cheering it on.
Fans and fellow celebrities flooded the comments of Steph's post with praise, applauding him for standing up for his wife — and for doing it calmly, firmly and without sinking to the level of the comments he was answering. Ayesha, meanwhile, shared her own message celebrating her husband following a screening of the film.
What do you think of Steph's response — and have you watched Ayesha's new film? Let us know in the comments.
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