Stephen Curry experiences the Shu Embroidery in Chongqing

Over the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, 5,000 drones lit up Chongqing's night sky, tracing Stephen Curry's iconic jump shot and "night-night" gesture, a spectacle that the basketball star called "the wildest thing" he had ever seen.

Curry, famous for revolutionizing basketball through his exceptional shooting ability, made Chongqing his only destination in China as part of his pre-season world tour. 

The drone show itself was perhaps a visible emblem of a larger truth: Curry's visit was more than a sporting event. 

A graffiti wall, light rail coach with Curry-themed decorations and mob shops, among others, were seen in the megacity as fans flocked to it to see the four-time NBA championship winner.

Fans engage

For many of these fans, the chance to see Curry in action wasn't just a spectacle - it was a chance to learn from one of basketball's greats.

Tan Chen, a senior official in Chongqing's cultural and tourism sector, told the Global Times that though figures on sectors such as hotel booking are yet to be finalized, it is, however, obvious that Curry fans were flocking into the city.

Along with plans to see Curry in person, many fans also planned side excursions such as visiting Chongqing's famed landmarks and were eager to taste hot pot.

Liang Renjun, a university student from North China's Shanxi Province, told the Global Times that visiting Chongqing was far more than just about seeing Curry in person. 

"What Curry means to me is not only in meeting him in person during his China visit. It is some invisible empowerment that radiated in me," Liang told the Global Times, before cautioning against fiery fan culture.

"Rational fandom doesn't mean waiting outside hotels or taking extreme steps to see Curry. What he gives me is an invisible kind of strength, not just an autograph or something he used."

This was, however, not Curry's first visit to the Southwest China metropolis. 

"There's a lot [that] happened in the last decade since I came, but you can see the technology, the innovation, creativity, and enthusiasm," Curry told reporters, citing the city's visible leaps in science and urban development. "I just appreciate the fans and the love and energy here… I'm excited to be back."

Curry also brought his talent to the court, mentoring young players eager to follow in his footsteps.

The Chongqing International Expo Center was one of the most visited places by Curry fans as it hosted a Curry-themed cultural convention, as well as a basketball court where Curry and his younger brother, Seth, conducted academy-like basketball training with selected young players. 

Curry's extensive shooting range and style sparked a paradigm shift in NBA strategy, giving rise to the three-point-dominated era today. It makes him one of the most followed American basketball players in China on social media as his Weibo followers have surpassed 5.78 million.

Curry's talents also inspired a new generation of Chinese basketball players to dream bigger.

Zhu Zheng, who represented China at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, said he was inspired by Curry's 2015 NBA championship win to play basketball. 

During a light-hearted three-pointer shooting exhibition contest on Tuesday, 18-year-old Zhu even outperformed the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointer scoring - five shots, five makes - before the NBA star congrats Zhu and calmly sank five himself to finish the event.

Curry also showcased his typical pre-match training session to the fans throughout the three-day event, where he drilled his trademark high-arching shot from a distance, before he switched from showman to mentor to guide young basketball players competing on the court.

At an event on Wednesday, Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming also appeared on court with Curry, as the two basketball greats announced plans to launch a joint charitable initiative to support the development of girls' basketball in rural China.

Culture immersion

During Curry's trip to Chongqing, he had multiple chances to engage with the rich culture of China. 

He interacted with local artisans showcasing intangible cultural heritage (ICH) products like woodblock prints and paper-cutting, during which Curry was quoted by local media outlets as saying the experience went "beyond expectations."

On his last night in Chongqing on Wednesday, Curry visited Chongqing's local tourist site Shibati, known for twisting stairs, experiencing Shu Embroidery.

Curry is not the first, nor will he be the last international sports superstar to visit China this summer. 

It was announced on Thursday that four-time NBA champion LeBron James will visit Shanghai and Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province in September. 

The basketball star's interaction with Chinese culture elements could help disseminate rich Chinese culture to the international audiences, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based senior sports commentator, told the Global Times.

"An international superstar's visit to China often shows the magnetic pull of athletes in fostering connection," Wang told Global Times. "In Curry's case, his cultural immersion provided an extra dimensional narrative beyond sports."

Wang said that the ripple effects it created could last unexpectedly long for certain people.

"Whether it be a professional domestic player chasing athletic glory or fans pushing themselves toward new physical heights, the ripples may be hard to measure and could be surprisingly big."

Basketball players Seth Curry, Stephen Curry and Azzi Fudd pose for a photo at the Shibati tourist site in Chongqing on August 20, 2025. Photos on this page: Courtesy of organizers