Stephen Curry’s NBA journey is one of the most inspiring stories in sports history. In 2009, Steph was a skinny 6’2 guard coming out of Davidson College. No one knew how Curry’s game would translate into the NBA’s physical environment. And only a few could have imagined the impact he would have 15 years later. Even Stephen Curry’s veteran leader, Monta Ellis, had issues with him as a rookie and believed they couldn’t win together.

11 years after getting replaced by Stephen Curry as the franchise player, Warriors Cult hero Monta Ellis lauded the 35-year-old’s work ethic.

Monta Ellis acknowledges Stephen Curry’s greatness

Warriors’ legend Monta Ellis was present at Golden State’s pre-game conference. Ellis talked about Stephen Curry’s impact on the Warriors and if he foresaw how great the Baby-Faced Assassin would become during their time as teammates. He appreciated Steph’s work ethic and gave him his flowers for working on his game continuously. “He just put in the time and it paid off,” Ellis claimed that he always knew if Steph kept working on his game, he would become a successful player in the league.

When Stephen Curry got drafted into the NBA in 2009, Monta Ellis led the Golden State Warriors. He was a fan favorite in Golden State after leading the Warriors ‘We Believe Team’ in the 2006-2007 season. Ellis did not believe in the backcourt combination of him and Steph because they had similar playing styles and were not very tall compared to other guards in the league.

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Oakland sportswriter Marcus Thompson even revealed in his book “Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry” that Ellis refused to high-five Steph before games when he was a rookie.

What changed Monta Ellis’ stance on Stephen Curry?
It looks like Monta Ellis has squashed his beef with Stephen Curry and understood how great he truly is. Ellis cannot be blamed for not believing in his duo with Stephen Curry. Back when they were teammates, the league had a very different playing style. The NBA was not familiar with the impact that three-pointers could have on a team’s success. Ellis believed the Warriors could not win with such a small backcourt.

The Warriors eventually traded Ellis to Milwaukee, making Steph the leader of the Warriors franchise. And we are all familiar with how that turned out for Golden State. 11 years after he departed from Golden State, Ellis has recognized Steph’s impact on the game of basketball and how he has changed the way the NBA operates. That might be the reason his stance on Steph has changed over the years.

What do you make of Monta Ellis’ comments on Steph’s work ethic? Do you think Curry has the best mentality in the NBA?