Stephen Curry's UNDERRATED Tour Powered by Rakuten Holds Championship Tournament in Oakland, April 1-3

Tournament Weekend Gives Underrated High School Basketball Student Athletes a Platform for Access, Opportunity and the Chance to Compete for Academic Scholarships and Visibility

OAKLAND, Calif., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stephen Curry's season three of the UNDERRATED Tour Powered by Rakuten makes its final stop on April 1-3 at Oakland's Soldiertown indoor basketball court. The three-day, invite-only event is the culmination of a nationwide search for overlooked and underrepresented high school student basketball talent, bringing together tour finalists to compete in tournament style games where one boy and one girl will be crowned the country's most UNDERRATED athlete representing their region. During the UNDERRATED Tour Championship Stop, student athletes also compete in tournament style games and receive specialized training, tailored experiences and best-in-class resources like drills, off-court education, personal skills development, expert panels and more.

"The UNDERRATED Tour was created to encourage anyone who feels overlooked to believe in their potential regardless of the obstacles they face," said Stephen Curry. "I was one of those kids growing up who was told my skills on the basketball court made me a 3-star athlete. I didn't fit the mold and recruiters couldn't see past the box they put me in. In every way, this experience led me to where I am today. The UNDERRATED Tour Championship Stop is about opening doors for young athletes with an underdog spirit and a dream to be bigger than their hometown teams. It's about giving these kids the opportunity to write their own story."

The UNDERRATED Tour provides a powerful platform for young athletes to be seen by college recruiters, sports agents and other key professionals in the sports industry. This visibility gives often-overlooked three-star high school players more opportunities to arise into college-level scholarship athletes and epitomize an UNDERRATED mindset.

Throughout the summer of 2021, the UNDERRATED Tour stopped in four cities (Washington D.C., Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles) where 75 boys and 75 girls were given a chance to learn and break through the noise. The final 64 participants (16 from each city) were flown to the Bay Area for the Championship.

New to the program this year, Rakuten added two $20,000 scholarship opportunities for Championship-bound players that can be used toward the college, university or trade school of their choice. Players can submit essays describing their underrated story and its impact in their lives, which will be reviewed by a panel of curated sports and industry professionals. Two lucky recipients, one boy and one girl, will be selected to receive scholarships and will be announced at the UNDERRATED Tour Championship Stop in Oakland.

"We are inspired by the optimism and spirit of The UNDERRATED Tour athletes, and we are incredibly proud to partner with Stephen Curry on this program," said Amit Patel, CEO of Rakuten Americas and Rakuten Rewards. "We are honored to support a program that aims to empower underrated and underrepresented communities. Congratulations to all the athletes competing at this year's Championship Stop."

The UNDERRATED Tour is the realization of Stephen's inspiring journey to the top as he continues to defy the odds and break basketball stereotypes by reminding people that being the best is not about being the strongest, fastest or tallest, but about being grounded in your potential, committed to your craft and, ultimately, undeterred. The mission remains steadfast in empowering underrated and underrepresented individuals all over the world.

For more information and the latest updates on The UNDERRATED Tour Powered by Rakuten, please visit www.stayunderrated.com.

About UNDERRATED
UNDERRATED is an inspiring lifestyle brand with a mission to empower underrated and underrepresented individuals all over the world. With a passion for celebrating the underdog, UNDERRATED echoes this message across three main categories including experiences, media and physical product. The brand, which was established by Stephen Curry in 2019, draws on the revered NBA Champion's personal story as an underappreciated three-star athlete in high school who always stood in the shadows of his peers. As a powerful culmination of this inspiring journey to the top, UNDERRATED is committed to opening doors for often-overlooked student-athletes by developing impactful basketball programming, and fostering a platform for visibility through the UNDERRATED Championships, which create opportunities for players to be recognized by key figures. Based in the Bay Area, UNDERRATED is a mindset, a motivation, a calling, a compliment. For more information, please visit www.stayunderrated.com, and connect on social media via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

About Rakuten Americas 
Rakuten Americas is the North American division of Rakuten, Inc., (Japan), a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Headquartered in San Mateo, California with more than 2,400 employees nationwide, the Rakuten Americas business portfolio includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, business intelligence, logistics, communications, and entertainment. We create products and services that provide exceptional value them by aligning members and the businesses that want to engage them in a shared community. Visit http://rakuten.us for more information. 

Media Contacts
UNDERRATED
Tom Dietz, ID-PR
[email protected] 

Rakuten
Carol Lee
[email protected] 

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