You’ve seen the highlights. A chaotic scramble near the baseline, three defenders draped over him, and suddenly, Stephen Curry flips a high-arcing scoop shot with his left hand that kisses the glass and drops through the net. It looks so natural, so fluid, that it leaves you wondering: Is Steph Curry left handed?
Honestly, if you only watched his layups, you might think so. But the reality of the greatest shooter in NBA history is a bit more nuanced than a simple "lefty" or "righty" label.
The Short Answer: Is Steph Curry Left Handed?
No. Stephen Curry is right-handed. He shoots his legendary three-pointers with his right hand. He signs autographs with his right hand. He eats his pre-game pasta with his right hand. When he suffered a broken hand in 2019 against the Phoenix Suns, the collective sigh of relief from Warriors fans came because it was his left hand—his non-shooting hand—that took the hit.
But why is the question so common? Because Steph is arguably the most "functionally ambidextrous" player to ever step on a hardwood floor.
He treats his left hand like a primary tool, not a backup. In the heat of a Western Conference playoff battle, he’ll whip a 50-foot "baseball" pass with his left hand that hits Draymond Green right in the numbers. That’s not normal for a righty. Most players have a "weak" hand. Curry just has a "slightly less dominant" one.
The Science of the "Off-Hand"
In basketball, we talk about the guide hand. For a righty like Steph, the left hand is supposed to just sit there. It balances the ball. It stays out of the way.
But watch a slow-motion breakdown of Curry’s shooting form. His left hand is incredibly active in the preparation. He often uses his left hand to gather the ball off the dribble, bringing it into his shooting pocket with more force than most guards.
Why His Left Hand Looks So Good
- Finishing at the Rim: Curry isn't the tallest guy out there. He’s 6'2" or 6'3" on a good day. To avoid getting his shot swatted by 7-footers, he developed a "crafty" finishing package. This includes high-glass layups and floaters that he shoots with either hand depending on where the defender is leaning.
- The Passing Gravity: Because Curry attracts so much defensive attention (often called "gravity"), he has to make split-second decisions. If a defender over-commits to his right side, he doesn't switch back. He just fires a left-handed bullet.
- Muscle Memory: Steph has been doing this since he was a kid at Davidson. He didn't just wake up with a good left hand. It was thousands of hours of neurocognitive training—literally using blinking lights and goggles to force his brain to process information and react with both sides of his body.
The 2019 Injury and the Nerve Damage
If you want to know how much he uses that left hand, look at his 2019 injury. It wasn't just a break; it involved surgery and lingering nerve damage.
For a long time after he returned, Curry mentioned that his left hand felt "different." He had to regain the tactile feel required for those delicate scoop shots. The fact that he came back and continued to lead the league in scoring proves that while he isn't a southpaw by birth, his left hand is vital to his "Chef Curry" recipe.
Comparing Curry to Truly Ambidextrous Players
There’s a difference between being a "natural" lefty and being "basketball ambidextrous."
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Take LeBron James, for example. LeBron is actually a natural lefty. He writes with his left hand and eats with his left hand. But he shoots a basketball with his right. He’s the inverse of Steph.
Then you have guys like Kyrie Irving, who might have the best "weak hand" finishing in the history of the sport. Curry is in that tier. He’s a righty who has worked so hard that his left hand is better than the dominant hand of 90% of the players in the NBA.
What You Can Learn From Steph's "Weak" Hand
If you’re a young player or a fan trying to understand the game, the lesson here isn't about which hand you were born using. It's about balance.
Steph's greatness doesn't just come from his right-handed flick. It comes from the threat of his left. If a defender knows you can't go left, they’ll shade you to that side all night. Because Steph can finish and pass with his left, defenders have to play him "straight up," which gives him the space he needs to launch those right-handed daggers.
Tips for Developing Your Off-Hand Like Curry:
- Dribble two balls at once: It forces your non-dominant hand to keep up with the rhythm of your strong hand.
- Brush your teeth with your left hand: Sounds weird, right? But it builds the fine motor skills and neural pathways Curry uses for those "touch" shots.
- Finish "Mikan" drills daily: Standard basketball layup drills, but focus 100% on the high-off-the-glass finish with your weak hand.
Practical Next Steps:
Next time you watch a Golden State game, don't just watch the ball go through the hoop. Watch the gather. Look at how Steph uses his left hand to secure the ball before the shot. If you want to improve your own game, stop thinking of your off-hand as a "guide" and start thinking of it as a weapon. Start by spending the first 15 minutes of every practice only using your non-dominant hand for dribbling and layups.