Dell Curry is the latest to join a growing chorus of voices from teammates to fans—concerned that his son, Stephen Curry, gets one of the worst whistles in the NBA. The father of the Stephen Curry recently came to the defense of the Golden State Warriors superstar, echoing long-standing complaints that the two-time MVP often absorbs heavy contact without getting the calls many believe he deserves.

Last season’s playoff series against the Houston Rockets became a widely cited example, with visible bruises on Curry fueling debate among fans and analysts about how officials handle the league’s most prolific shooter.

Recently, in a podcast with The Athletic, Stephen Curry sat down with Dell Curry. That’s when the father stated, “He’s always been one of the smallest guys on the team, so you got to figure it out. I watch games now and I’m like, ‘Why didn’t the official call and grab the hold? ‘ You know, they look at a lot of action on the ball, but by the time they look at his action off the ball, it’s too late. But he never complains.”

Stephen Curry nodded and agreed, not being favored by the officials. However, he added “sometimes,” stating he does complain when things don’t go in his favor. In fact, the 4x NBA champion also previously suggested that referee grading systems should be made public for greater transparency. His plea to the league comes at a time when even teammate Draymond Green added that the officials may treat Curry differently.

“Does his lack of saying things to the referee affect the whistle that he doesn’t get? I think so,” Green stated in the January episode of The Draymond Green Show. “I have kind of watched Steph Curry get mauled every game, like grabbed, held, scarred. The man’s got wolverine scars on his neck. We watch him get mauled every game.”

Green added that ‘Hack-a-Steph’ defensive strategy is not wrong, but the ref not calling it because Stephen Curry doesn’t complain is a problem. So, Green’s statement echoes what Dell Curry had stated.

It’s not the first time that the father has been protective of his son since the AAU days. In fact, Dell decided not to allow his son to play AAU basketball for a few years.

Stephen Curry, on the Mind the Game podcast with LeBron James and Steve Nash, shared that initially, it was tough for him to accept the decision to stop playing AAU ball. “I was physically underdeveloped [at that time] compared to some of the better kids at my age. And the kind of thought process was, am I really getting better by just getting physically manhandled at this age?” said Curry.

“The idea was to take those two years to really kind of hone in on a work ethic and, you know, physical kind of maturation that could then catch me up, so that by 16, going back into travel basketball that.”

Two decades ago, the decision was to help his son develop physically. Since then, he has seen Steph mature more physically, but Dell wants more protection for his son. Especially when the 37-year-old is already closer to stepping away from the hardwood.

Stephen Curry drops retirement hints

The four-time champion revealed that his body will ultimately dictate when it’s time to retire. “I think your body is the first point of information,” Curry said. “Just what it takes to get ready for a game is a lot different now than it was a decade ago.” The statement on the podcast comes at a time when the NBA season is physically grueling.

There is no drop in performance for the Warriors‘ star, who is continuing to carry a major offensive load for Golden State. Stephen Curry is averaging 27.2 points per game, despite battling injuries that have limited him to just 39 games this season. Still, the Dub Nation leader insists his passion for the game hasn’t faded.

“When I’m out there on the court right now, I still get lost in the fun. It’s still my happy place. The competition, the camaraderie, the chasing something that matters — that still gets me going. And I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.” The runner’s knee and bone bruising issue meant that the Warriors star has already missed 17 games, with no timeline set for his return.