Ayesha Curry has been in the public eye for much of her adult life, balancing fame, family, and the pressures of being married to one of the NBA’s most recognizable stars.
But a few candid remarks about her personal journey have once again turned her into the target of online criticism, and now, Mariah Rose, daughter of former NBA player Jalen Rose, is calling out what she sees as a double standard in how women like Curry are treated.
The 35-year-old entrepreneur and wife of Golden State Warriors legend Steph Curry sparked controversy after appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast in August, where she reflected on how her life changed after marrying young.
“I didn’t want kids, I didn’t want to get married,” Ayesha said. “I thought I was gonna be a career girl and that’s it. I had my eyes set on my goals, and I was never the little girl that dreamt about the wedding dress and all of that.”
She went on to explain how quickly her life shifted once she and Steph tied the knot, revealing that she became pregnant with their first daughter, Riley, just months later.
“After we got married, we found out we were pregnant so quickly, I didn’t have time to think what I wanted anymore,” she said. “I love being a mom, but I love doing other things, too, and I need to get my stuff together.”
While her comments were hardly scandalous in context, clips taken from the interview began circulating online – stripped of nuance – and the internet quickly turned against her.
Many accused Curry of being “ungrateful” or “disrespectful” to her husband, with one user writing, “Some things just shouldn’t be shared with the world.” Another added, “She’s never going to be satisfied, always talking about their business.”
But Mariah Rose sees something deeper at play. On her show, she suggested that Ayesha’s critics are determined to misread her.
“I think the internet is committed to misunderstanding her,” Rose said. “Ayesha Curry has the Travis Hunter‘s wife effect. Anything she says is gonna get clipped up to fit a narrative.”
Rose argued that the backlash is less about what Ayesha says and more about what people expect from women married to powerful men.
“I genuinely just think people don’t like that every word that comes out of her mouth isn’t, ‘I’m so lucky to be married to Steph Curry,'” she continued.
“She has a life and businesses and children. What do you want her to do, throw a parade every time he’s brought up? If Steph doesn’t have a problem with it, why do you?”
Steph Curry steps in after rapper’s remarks
The debate over Ayesha‘s comments intensified after rapper Killer Mike weighed in, reacting to a social media post that accused her of seeking “male attention.” In his comment, the rapper suggested that Steph didn’t “deserve the embarrassment.”
That didn’t sit well with the Warriors star, who rarely comments on gossip but made an exception this time. “Stay in your lane and let God keep blessing me like He is,” Steph wrote in response. “We’re good over here.”
Days later, Killer Mike appeared on Shannon Sharpe‘s Club Shay Shay podcast and publicly apologized, saying his comment had been “out of line.”
The moment highlighted how fiercely Steph defends his wife, and how the couple, married since 2011, consistently project a united front amid media storms.
For Ayesha, this isn’t the first time her honesty has drawn backlash. Over the years, she’s faced criticism for everything from her views on relationships to her business ventures. Yet she has continued to speak openly about her experiences as a mother, entrepreneur, and woman balancing multiple roles.
During her Call Her Daddy appearance, she made clear that while her life unfolded differently than planned, she feels gratitude rather than regret.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” she said, recalling her surprise pregnancy. “It wasn’t on my bingo card, but I’m so grateful.”
“She has every right to speak about her life”
Rose also pointed out that Ayesha’s story – a woman who found success and fulfillment in unexpected ways – is being distorted. “She gave up her adolescence in marriage,” Rose said. “She has every right to speak about her experience. People take it as if she’s not grateful, but that’s not what she said.”
Ayesha’s supporters agree, noting that her willingness to discuss identity, purpose, and sacrifice adds a layer of humanity often missing in celebrity marriages. Others say the reaction underscores how women, particularly Black women in the spotlight, are held to impossible standards of deference and perfection.
While social media continues to dissect her words, Ayesha and Steph have largely stayed focused on their family, raising four children while supporting each other’s careers.
Between her culinary empire, lifestyle brand, and community initiatives, Ayesha has carved out a distinct identity beyond her husband’s success.
Ultimately, Mariah Rose‘s defense may have summed up the situation best: Ayesha Curry isn’t being ungrateful, she’s being honest. And in today’s culture, that alone seems to be enough to ignite outrage.
As Rose put it, “If Steph loves the way she is, maybe everyone else should stop trying to rewrite her story.”
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