Stephen Curry knows there is a price to pay when the homework doesn't get done before the hoops.

And the debt collector, more often than not, is his mother.

Sonya Curry – the principal at a Lake Norman, N.C., Montessori school that she and Curry's father, Dell, founded in 1995 – wouldn't have it any other way. So even with the NBA draft fast approaching Thursday, her sharpshooting son from Davidson had work to do before heading off for today's Kings workout.

"I was taught growing up that education was first," Curry told The Bee early Friday evening from his Sacramento hotel. "My mom made that a point of emphasis early, when I'd have to sit out games because I didn't do my homework or got bad grades. … I just finished an essay (Friday night)."

Never mind that Curry is close to signing a seven-figure contract and living the posh NBA life. Despite leaving Davidson as a junior, he is taking a course on young adult fiction that will be followed by six more classes and, eventually, his degree.

But Curry will take an honors course of a different kind today at the Kings' practice facility. He will be one of the many high-profile point guards on hand for a workout that could influence whom the Kings select with the fourth pick.

His A-list classmates on the court: Syracuse's Jonny Flynn, who asked to be added to today's session and whose draft stock with the Kings remains high; and Memphis' Tyreke Evans, a dynamic 6-foot-7 guard with tantalizing talent (not to mention a 6-11 wingspan) who took part in an individual workout for the Kings on June 9.

The three point guards are believed to be on the Kings' short list for the No. 4 pick, with Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio also in the mix. But questions surrounding him continue to complicate his situation. Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet also would be considered if he falls to No. 4, although he is expected by many to go to Memphis at No. 2 and continues to decline the Kings' requests for a workout.

After Rubio spent parts of three days visiting the Kings last week but didn't engage in basketball activities because of illness, he spent Saturday surveying the landscape elsewhere. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Oklahoma City representatives met with Rubio in Los Angeles.

With the third pick, the Thunder – just the second team to visit with Rubio – could take him out of the equation before the Kings are on the clock. Not that Rubio is the Kings' consensus pick, as one does not exist.

It appears Flynn is the closest the Kings have to a front-runner, with his leadership skills and reputation as a physical and traditional point guard among his most popular traits. The question, though, is whether the Kings would take him at No. 4 or pull the trigger on a deal to move down to get him and acquire additional assets.

Enter DeMar DeRozan. The USC guard, who conducted an individual workout for the Kings on Saturday, is the sort of player who could net the Kings a draft-day deal, with teams picking lower looking to move up to acquire top-tier talent. The Kings have had extensive leaguewide discussions about the prospect of trading down, with the possibilities sure to be pondered even more in the days ahead.

And today could play a part as well. In addition to Curry, Flynn and Evans, Saint Mary's point guard Patty Mills volunteered to join the workout after he was scheduled for a Monday session.

Mills, the Australian speedster who is projected as late first-round selection, could be taken by the Kings with their No. 23 or 31 pick.

"With those kinds of names (in today's workout), it allows you to compete and show why that team should pick you instead of the other guy," said Curry, whose father, who is also his agent, had a 16-season NBA career.

"I think it's just setting us up for what we're going to have to see in the NBA season, where one night you play Chris Paul and the next night you play Steve Nash and every night you have to bring your 'A' game … . You just have to be confident and do what you do."

That is, of course, after doing your homework.

Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.