Stephen Curry and his camp were indeed hoping for Madison Square Garden to be his permanent NBA home back in the 2009 NBA Draft. Dell Curry, who had a remarkable 16-season career as the NBA’s original sharpshooter among the Curry clan, revealed in a conversation that, the Knicks possessed the eighth pick in the 2009 Draft, while the Golden State Warriors held the seventh pick. Dell Curry received a phone call from then-Warriors coach
Don Nelson on draft day.
Thanks to David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who picked Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn with the fifth and sixth picks, respectively, after Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden, and Tyreke Evans were off the board, Curry ended up with the Warriors at No. 7. Nelson and then-Warriors general manager Larry Riley defied Dell Curry, agent Jeff Austin, and others who were advocating for the Warriors to let Steph slip to the Knicks at No. 8.
Dell Curry reflected on the conversation vividly, recounting, โI said, โNo, weโd rather you not take him if heโs there because we have another place weโd like him to be.โโ Don Nelson, the Warriorsโ coach at the time, responded resolutely, โWell, if heโs there, weโre going to take him.โ Dell firmly held his stance and affirmed, โThatโs your choice. You call me and ask me a question, and Iโm telling you the truth from my end.โ Looking back, Dell Curry remarked with gratitude, โThank God it didnโt happen.โ This pivotal decision, made on that fateful draft day, had a profound impact on Stephen Curryโs journey, leading him to become one of the most iconic players in NBA history.
This sentiment isnโt meant as an attack on the Knicks but rather as an expression of gratitude for how things have turned out. In Year 13 of his career, Curry, now an NBA legend, routinely earns MVP chants from opposing fans. He commands the home crowdโs attention like no other visiting player, entering whatโs been aptly described as The Roger Federer Zone.
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The enduring tale of Curryโs 54-point explosion against the Knicks in 2013 on the second night of a back-to-back still echoes. It was his โcoming-out partyโ as he ascended to become one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. Now, nearly nine years later, Curry returns to MSG needing just two more 3-pointers to surpass Ray Allenโs record for the highest regular-season triples total in league history.
In the world of sports, 3,000 has traditionally been associated with baseball. However, Curry, who will turn 34 in March, is making NBA statisticians dizzy with the possibilities of how high he can elevate his 3-point figures, given his commitment to offseason training to age gracefully.
Dell Curry stated that his son was a late bloomer in everything he did, as he resonated with his son with himself. Dell Curry himself didnโt reach his NBA height of 6-foot-4 until he got to Virginia Tech and grew two inches. He knew his sons had the talent to make it to the NBA, but he couldnโt have predicted that Stephen would become a two-time MVP and three-time world champion.