Curtis Staples

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Curtis Staples

| image =

| caption =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 198

| nationality = American

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|7|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.

| high_school = Patrick Henry (Roanoke, Virginia)

| college = Virginia (1994–1998)

| draft_year = 1998

| career_start =

| career_end =

| career_number =

| career_position = Shooting guard

| years1 = 2002–2003

| team1 = Huntsville Flight

| years2 = 2003–2004

| team2 = Roanoke Dazzle

| highlights =

Third-team All-ACC (1998)
No. 5 jersey retired by Virginia Cavaliers
Third-team Parade All-American (1994)
Virginia Mr. Basketball (1994)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

Curtis Staples (born July 14, 1976) is an American former basketball player who played from 1994 to 1998 for the University of Virginia. He was a sophomore starter on Virginia Group AAA champion Patrick Henry High School in 1992. He played at, and is a 1994 graduate of, Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia.

Three point record

Staples is best known for breaking the all-time NCAA record for career three-point field goals, previously held by Radford University's Doug Day, at 413. Staples' record stood for nearly eight years after his career ended, until JJ Redick of Duke University broke it on February 14, 2006. Staples had actually conducted a basketball clinic in Virginia which Redick attended as a pre-teen; Redick's rare shooting ability caught Staples's eye even then.{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Ed|title=Southwest Va. is home to the nation's best all-time sharpshooters|url=http://www.pilotonline.com/sports/college/southwest-va-is-home-to-the-nation-s-best-all/article_63c46490-59cb-515e-9815-7a7f86f5a7fc.html|accessdate=November 15, 2015|work=The Virginian-Pilot|date=February 11, 2006|archive-date=March 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330064233/http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/southwest-va-is-home-to-the-nation-s-best-all/article_63c46490-59cb-515e-9815-7a7f86f5a7fc.html|url-status=dead}} Redick told The Roanoke Times, "I was a big Curtis Staples fan."

Staples attended the record-breaking game and remarked, "I've always said, like the old saying goes, records are meant to be broken. J.J. has been a hard worker and deserves everything that he gets. I'm glad to see somebody like J.J. breaking it. He's a very significant player that we will never forget."{{cite web|url=http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834160370&path=!sports&s=1037645509200|title=journalnow.com - Winston-Salem News, Sports, Entertainment, Politics, Classifieds|first=Winston-Salem|last=Journal|website=Winston-Salem Journal|accessdate=November 29, 2018}}

Career

Staples played eight seasons of professional basketball overseas. After he retired from playing, Staples was the head coach for Virginia Episcopal School basketball team in Lynchburg, Virginia for eight seasons.{{cite web |last1=Walls |first1=Dave |title=VES basketball coach Curtis Staples to step down after season |url=https://wset.com/sports/full-court-press/ves-basketball-coach-curtis-staples-to-step-down-after-season |website=WSET |access-date=December 10, 2024 |language=en |date=December 20, 2017}} He then moved to Tennessee to become the head coach of the boys basketball team at Lakeway Christian Academy.{{cite web |title=Lakeway Christian’s Staples earns top boys’ coaching honor |url=https://theroanoketribune.org/lakeway-christians-staples-earns-top-boys-coaching-honor/ |website=Roanoke Tribune |access-date=December 10, 2024 |date=May 23, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Curtis Staples - Head High School Boys Basketball Coach - Staff Directory |url=https://lakewaylions.com/staff-directory/curtis-staples/34 |website=Lakeway Christian Academy |access-date=December 10, 2024 |language=en}}

Honors

The University of Virginia retired Staples' jersey (#5) on November 12, 2006, during halftime of Virginia's first game in its new John Paul Jones Arena. Staples ranks ninth on Virginia's career scoring list with 1,757 points.{{cite web|url=http://virginiasports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111206aae.html|title=Special Recognitions Mark Halftime Of Virginia-Arizona Game|work=cstv.com|access-date=November 22, 2006|archive-date=November 26, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061126130417/http://virginiasports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111206aae.html|url-status=dead}}