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Remembering when NBA MVP Stephen Curry first became a star (VIDEOS)

North Carolina State v Davidson

Getty Images

Getty Images

The NBA officially announced on Monday morning that Golden State guard Stephen Curry has been named MVP.

It’s hard to believe that the kid that couldn’t even get a scholarship offer from his dad’s alma mater -- Virginia Tech -- was named the best player in the world for the 2014-15 season.

I’ll never forget when Curry officially jumped the shark, using the 2008 NCAA tournament to launch himself from the college basketball junky’s favorite mid-major darling to bonafide basketball star. It started with an opening round game against No. 7 Gonzaga in which Curry scored 30 of his 40 points in the second half:

In the round of 32, Curry went for 30 points in a win over No. 2 seed Georgetown:

Then, in the Sweet 16, Curry went off for 33 points in a win over No. 3 Wisconsin. Curry’s iconic collegiate moment -- his twisting, and-one layup near the end of this clip -- came in this game:

And finally, in the Elite 8, Curry scored 25 points against eventual national champion Kansas, but the Wildcats came up two points short of reaching the Final Four:

My favorite Curry moment came during his junior season. Curry scored 44 points in a win over N.C. State, including this clutch, 35-foot three with 1:30 left in front of LeBron James, one of the guys Curry just beat out for the MVP award: