Stephen Curry and his family are no strangers to the spotlight, whether on the court or in the headlines. But sometimes, the most telling moments come quietly. Away from the hardwood and flashing cameras, Sydel Curry-Lee recently shared a snapshot that hinted at change; a calm before something bigger shifted in their lives.

What does that change look like? That’s the question fans are asking, as Sydel and her husband, Damion Lee, prepare for a new chapter that doesn’t quite fit the bright NBA lights they were once part of. And this time, the moment is less about contracts and more about crossroads.

Her words were simple: “Final date before he leaves.” A dinner at a sushi restaurant, a moment captured for her followers, but a caption that carried a weight basketball insiders could feel. It wasn’t a trade. It wasn’t a retirement. But it was a goodbye of a different kind.

It’s not the first time Sydel has shared her heart publicly. Two years ago, she posted a heartfelt tribute to her husband: “I will never take for granted the person you are and the strength you give me through every phase of life we’ve been through together,” she wrote. “You make me feel beautiful and loved in ways I never knew were possible. My greatest flex is making you the father of our children 1/1!” That openness made her latest post sting for followers, because they’ve seen the depth of their bond before.

Because behind that quiet post is a reality many players face: the slow fade from the NBA’s main stage. Damion Lee, a 2022 Champion, has seen his role shrink to a fraction of what it once was. With minutes scarce last year and opportunities drying up, his path forward came from overseas: a deal with Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel. For Lee, it was less a headline move and more a lifeline, a chance to play meaningful basketball again rather than sit at the far end of a bench.

The decision came quietly but not suddenly. European and Israeli clubs had been circling players like Lee all summer, and this one finally matched: a competitive league, a defined role, and a contract that gives him both relevance and runway. For Sydel, it means adjusting routines: solo nights at home with their young children, family events without her husband by her side, and the kind of long-distance support that NBA life rarely demanded when the cities were a short flight apart.

Damion Lee’s NBA Chapter Closes

Damion Lee’s story in the league was always one of resilience. Undrafted in 2016, he carved out a seven-season career, appearing in 315 regular-season games and averaging 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. With the Golden State Warriors, he logged 201 games, contributing 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per night.

His breakout came in 2019–20, when injuries opened the floor for him to average 12.7 points in nearly 30 minutes, and he became a trusted rotation piece during their 2022 campaign: spot minutes, timely threes, and a calm presence in a turbulent season.

After lifting the trophy, Lee signed with the Phoenix Suns, where his shooting fit well around Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It wasn’t just Curry with high praise, Steve Kerr acknowledged,

In his first season (2022–23), he averaged 8.2 points in 20.4 minutes, hitting a career-high mark from deep and providing steady bench scoring during their playoff push.

However, as the Suns reshaped their roster with stars like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, his role narrowed sharply. By the 2024–25 season, his numbers had slipped to 3.3 points in just 5.8 minutes per game.

That decline, mirrored across both stops, set the stage for his move to Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel. It offers him what the NBA no longer could: a chance to start, to shoot freely, and to rediscover the rhythm that once made him a valuable piece on two playoff-caliber teams.

For the Curry-Lee household, it means a new rhythm too: FaceTime calls replacing shared dinners, travel plans revolving around international breaks, and the quiet hope that one chapter overseas may open another back home.