What to know about Stephen Curry's groundbreaking role at his alma mater

Beyond lending his expertise, the four-time NBA champion is making a financial commitment. Curry, his wife Ayesha and Davidson supporters the Bermans will establish an eight-figure fund for both programs. Matt Berman, a 2005 Davidson soccer player, will also serve as assistant GM.

The Curry-Berman Fund arrives when smaller programs desperately need resources to compete in an era when athlete financial compensation has rapidly evolved from forbidden to essential.

"The Davidson experience is top notch," Curry said in a statement. "My journey from when I got to Davidson in 2006 to now demonstrated that I had the opportunity to play basketball at the highest level, got a great education, an amazing network through the Davidson alumni and continue to wave the Davidson flag. I want very talented, high-character student athletes to have that same experience."

Davidson president Doug Hicks emphasized that this powerful influx of resources and expertise will help the private liberal arts college in North Carolina maintain its basketball identity while navigating collegiate sports' increasingly turbulent waters.

Chris Clunie, vice president and director of athletics, underscored basketball's vital role at Davidson: "When our basketball programs are successful, they provide much-needed revenue and exposure to support all our athletics programs and raise the overall visibility of the college."

The men's program boasts 15 NCAA tournament appearances, highlighted by their 2008 Elite Eight run behind Curry's brilliance. This season, they finished 16-15. The women's program, still seeking its first NCAA berth, went 19-13 and reached the Atlantic 10 semifinals.

Women's basketball head coach Gayle Fulks called the Curry-Berman gift transformative: "We enter this new world of college sports with the ability to compete for championships. We are eager to build on this generosity in order for Davidson to continue to match up with the other teams in our conference, and we are grateful to Stephen, Matt and other alums and supporters who have stood shoulder to shoulder with us."

Curry returned to Davidson in 2022 to complete his degree and enter the school's Hall of Fame. Now he's creating a legacy beyond accolades. 

In a college sports world dominated by wealthy powerhouses, Curry's groundbreaking dual role offers smaller programs a blueprint for survival and success. Once again, the sharpshooter is changing the game — this time from both sides of the collegiate-professional divide.