Stephen Curry’s parents, Dell and Sonya Curry, didn’t want the two-time league MVP drafted by the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors could be completely different if the 2009 NBA Draft hadn’t happened exactly as it did. They drafted Stephen Curry, the team’s superstar guard, the renowned leader of their dynasty, and the greatest shooter of all time with the 7th overall selection.
However, if it were up to Steph’s parents, he wouldn’t have ended up in Oakland.
Per NBC Sports’ John Schrock, the couple didn’t want their son playing in Golden State. Dell said the fit wasn’t there.
"“We just thought his game fit a better team, a better scenario,” Dell Curry said. “The way another team was playing. Up and down, faster and had a better locker room.”"
The Warriors clearly had a different idea.
The question that came up in my mind was who could Dell have wanted to draft Curry? He mentions a team that played up and down, a team that ran the floor and played to Curry’s strength.
Following the 2008 season, the team he may be talking about is the Washington Wizards who were led by NBA legend Gilbert Arenas. The star played just two games during the 2008-2009 season just two years after dropping 28 points per game. They ended up trading their top-five pick to Minnesota.
He could’ve also been talking about the Russell Westbrook-led Thunder. Just a rookie then, Westbrook had the Thunder playing with pace, similar to how he had them playing this past season.
That said, we may never know where Dell wanted his son to go. However, it wasn’t just Dell that didn’t want Steph in the Bay.
Curry’s mother talked about a different reason why she didn’t want her son in Oakland.
"“Well, that’s the dad answer and the professional athlete answer,” Sonya Curry said. “Mine was, ‘Golden State was too far away. Where is my baby going? I don’t know where Golden State is.'”"
It’s just a mother’s instinct not to want her child to live on the other side of America. Steph was raised in North Carolina. He played his collegiate ball at Davidson Univdristy, a D-1 college in North Carolina.
Basketball-wise, Carolina was all he knew.
Now, he was flying across the states to play in California. It must’ve been a wild few weeks of adjustment for Sonya and the Curry family.
It’s ultimately worked out pretty well for the Curry family. They’ve watched Steph win two MVPs and three titles in Golden State. He’s thrived, and it’s been a wonder to see how he’s transformed the culture of the league.