The lines to get into Steph Curry’s much-hyped free party in Oakland on Friday went around the block. That wasn’t the case for two dozen basketball players from Richmond High, who enjoyed VIP treatment at the Fox Theater.
Joined by their coaching staff, 24 members of the Richmond High basketball program — 12 boys and 12 girls — were invited to the ultra-popular party an hour early and heard from Curry himself, said Jeff Jaymot, the physical education lead and head girls varsity basketball coach at Richmond High.
They were among about a dozen high school basketball programs in the Bay Area receiving early entrance to the party. Curry put on the event to celebrate 10 years in Oakland and to promote his Curry 6 Fox Theater colorway Under Armour shoes.
Under Armour, on behalf of Curry, didn’t just extend an early invitation to the Richmond High program. It also arranged to send a fancy charter bus — emblazoned with the RHS logo — to provide roundtrip transportation for the students and coaches.
“It was the nicest charter bus I’ve ever been on,” Jaymot said.
The students arrived at Fox Theater an hour before the party began and were provided with a bevy of Under Armour gear, including shoes and shirts, Jaymot said. Curry emerged during that first hour to give a brief talk expressing his appreciation for Oakland and the Bay Area. After the party started, the crowd enjoyed performances by E-40, Mistah F.A.B., Too $hort, Saweetie and P-Lo.
A grateful Jaymot called it a “very cool event.”
“I just want to express my appreciation to Under Amour and Curry for doing this,” he said.
