GLENDALE, A.Z. — For the Snell family, basketball isn't just a game, it's a way of life. Steve Snell (NC State Assistant Coach/Director of Basketball Operations) and his son Jordan Snell (NC State walk-on guard) have seen this game take them all around the country as pops navigates through the college coaching industry. 

After stints at different universities -- most recently The University of Denver and Ohio University -- Steve Snell joined Kevin Keatts and NC State in May of 2020, bringing his then-high-school-aged son Jordan with him to Raleigh. Jordan enrolled at Panther Creek to play for former Clemson star and Raleigh native Shawan Robinson before eventually enrolling at NC State.

Throughout this journey, the Snell family has had a major connection with one of the game's most notable figures. Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is the second cousin of Steve Snell and has quietly developed a really strong relationship with Steph. Through that, his son Jordan has also had the chance to get access to one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

The entire country -- including many of the Wolfpack players -- learned about the connection when Curry gave a shoutout to the magical run the team is on before the Elite Eight.

"Shoutout to my cousin, Steve Snell, who's coaching for NC State," Curry said. "His son, Jordan, is on the team. They just got a win and they're in the Elite 8 now, so I'm rooting for them for sure."

For those wondering at home, Steve and Steph's mother, Sonya, are first cousins. With the time the Snell family spent in the Bay Area when Steve was coaching at Santa Clara, he was able to get unique access to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

"I was at Santa Clara from 2014-2016 so that's right by Golden State," Steve said. "We went to most home games, we would go to Steph's house in the free time, cooking out or whatever. So from a young age my kids got to experience stuff that some kids just don't get to. It was pretty cool."

Even as a young kid, Jordan understood that this was simply a unique experience and still understands the magnitude of a guy like Steph Curry acknowledging the run and reaching out after big moments.

"He's always looked out for us, shown us love, he texted us after we won the ACC Championship. It makes you happy, makes you feel warm inside because of how great of a person he is.

For Steve Snell he went from changing Steph's diapers as a baby to watching him win back to back MVPs and four NBA title. But it's Steph's down to earth nature that has always kept the families close.

"We're a tight knit family," Steve Snell said. "He's always watching, with his games we'll text after if I see something." 

Steph's shoutout is symbolic of the kind of traction NC State is gaining within their own community, the basketball community, and the country at large.

"Just the sheer number of people that have arrived down here in Dallas since we've been here, and it was the same thing in Pittsburgh," Steve Snell said. "We're getting it for the first time in the four years I've been here. You go out to a store and people are like, 'Great job coach! Keep it going!' That sort of thing and I know those guys are getting it to. It just puts us on a different level.

"You see it on social media from stars or whatever, I think Donovan Mitchell and Nikola Jokic were tweeting about DJ (Burns). So it gives them a little perspective that everyone is watching and that everyone is watching March Madness."

We ultimately live in a small world, one where an assistant coach at NC State has a direct family connection to one of the games greatest players ever. Now this Wolfpack team has quickly become America's team this March Madness and is sitting on the doorstep of every single player on the current roster becoming legends in their own right.