Steph Curry has been the face of the Golden State Warriors for over a decade and in that time, he’s garnered league-wide admiration for his sniper shooting and savvy ball-handling. But it’s his egoless approach and zest for winning over personal accolades which also standout.
His selflessness has been on full display throughout his future Hall of Fame career. From allowing Kevin Durant to join his 73-win team that already had a championship. Curry was supportive of the new superstar and didn’t mind taking a back seat to make KD feel comfortable. Curry’s positive attitude, leadership and big-picture humility earned him two more rings.
Curry’s nurtured young star Jordan Poole, even coming off the bench in the playoffs as he made his way back from injury. This allowed Poole to keep developing as a first option and stay in his groove.
Former teammate Matt Barnes was a part of the Warriors 2017 championship-winning team, so he got to see peak Steph Curry up close and has nothing but love for “The Chef.”
In a recent interview on 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru”, Barnes expressed his unconditional love for “The Chef.”
“It would be huge and he deserves it,” Barnes said of a fourth ring for Curry. ”If you don’t like Steph Curry, then you’re just a hater. What can you really not like about him? He’s himself, he plays the game the right way. He’s selfless. Rarely, in this day and age, do you see selfless superstars. He’s a selfless superstar. I think it’d be huge if they’re able to get it. It’s no lie this team is getting older.”
Barnes then noted that Dub Nation dynasty’s championship window is closing, despite the influx of young talent. As the Warriors aspire to reach their sixth NBA Finals in eight seasons, their nucleus is on the other side of 30. Curry’s now 34, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are both 32.
“You can’t top experience, but they realize that this window is shutting and it’s shutting fast. They’ve built a culture,” Barnes said this week on the “Steiny & Guru” radio show. “They fell with the injuries and KD (Kevin Durant) leaving. It was a structure similar to San Antonio, that once the pieces came back together, ‘We could pick up where we left off, because we’re a dynasty.’ I enjoy watching it. I’m excited because, like, they have just as good a shot as anyone to win a championship this year.”
Curry Was Selfless When KD Hit Scene
Following their 2016 NBA Finals collapse against the Cavaliers after being up 3–1, the team pursued superstar Kevin Durant, who was a free agent.
When KD chose to join the Warriors, Curry’s popularity had already reached new heights after becoming the league’s first unanimous MVP, while averaging 30.1 points, and leading the Warriors to a league-best 73-9 record.
The KD signing led to two back-back championships, and following the first one, Draymond acknowledged Curry’s willingness to make it work with KD.
“Steph definitely took a back seat to start the season, until he realized we didn’t need him to take a back seat.” Draymond said in a 2017 interview.
Curry’s scoring output didn’t change much, but he did sacrifice his role as the team’s primary scorer.
Andrew Wiggins: Curry Is Most Unselfish Superstar
Curry has faced every defense known to man, and teams defend him differently than they do most superstars. The attention he draws because of his legendary shooting range opens up the floor and makes the game easier for his teammates. You’ll never see Curry complain about the physicality and pounding he endures, because all he cares about is the final result.
In Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Curry’s prolific shooting abandoned him early on, but he still impacted the game because he’s always a threat to let one loose.
Teammate Andrew Wiggins, the 2013 No. 1 overall pick, who made his first All-Star team playing alongside Curry this season, explains why the “Baby-Faced Assassin” proved to be the rarest of superstars upon Wiggins’ arrival in 2020.
“He makes everyone great,” Wiggins said in a presser. “He’s like the most unselfish superstar, that’s a good way to put it. He attracts so much attention that he’s going to find the open man, and he makes the right plays.”
Wiggins’ opinion of Curry isn’t anything new, but it is notable that all of these years later, through the tremendous success and trials this team has encountered, Curry’s impact still resonates throughout the entire Warriors organization, from owner Joe Lacob to GM Bob Myers, to head coach Steve Kerr and the players.
A contingent of analysts who were down on Golden State’s chances to win a title are now back on the bandwagon. Matt Barnes was picking Golden State even as they went through a 14-11 25-game slide in March. Curry’s an immortal player who is second in the league in jersey sales but is willing to share the glory. That’s why he’s so popular and Golden State’s culture doesn’t change.
