Stephen Curry

Let’s Go Warriors: It’s All About Family at the Dell and Stephen Curry Camp

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The Currys are all about family. Dell Curry even said it himself. At the State Farm Dell and Stephen Curry Parent/Child Basketball ProCamp this weekend, Dell told all the participants that family is the most important thing to the Currys. Anyone in attendance could see the camp’s focus on family bonding, not just basketball.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

What Seth Curry Brings to the Golden State Warriors

Mar 24, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Seth Curry (30) celebrates making a basket during the second half against the Creighton Bluejays during the third round of the NCAA basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Duke defeated Creighton 66-50. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

There’s a new Splash Brother in town. The Golden State Warriors signed Seth Curry, Stephen Curry’s younger brother, to a non-guaranteed contract on August 23rd, which happened to be his birthday. Curry went undrafted out of Duke University. Since his contract is non-guaranteed, he will have to earn his spot onto the active roster, but there’s a good chance he will be able to grab one of those final roster spots.

Even if Curry makes the final roster, it’s unclear how many minutes, if any, he’ll play this upcoming season. Curry could end up playing with the Santa Cruz Warriors for parts or the majority of the season, like what the Warriors did with Kent Bazemore during last season. If Curry gets any playing time, it will most likely be in garbage time when the Warriors have a significant lead or are down by a large amount.

Regardless of how many minutes Curry plays for the Warriors this season, he provides a skill that any NBA team could use. He’s an incredible shooter, just like his brother. In his final season at Duke, Curry averaged 17.5 points on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 43.8 percent shooting from three.

He was able to shoot this well despite having a stress fracture in his right shin. He sat out almost all of Duke’s practices, so he could rest, not risk further injury, and conserve his energy for games. After successful surgery and rehab on his shin, Curry is ready to play basketball again and help out the Warriors in any way he can.

“I’m an established shooter who can come in right away and not go through an adaption period to the NBA,” Curry said. “I’ve been around this game my whole life. I can come in right away and fill a need. It helped that I spent four years in college, too.”

Curry’s biggest strength is obviously his shooting. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor, and he can create his own shot too. He’s not just a catch-and-shoot player. He’s not super quick or athletic, but he finds ways to get to the basket. The Warriors don’t have many three-point shooters on their bench, so Curry’s pinpoint shooting could certainly make him a valuable asset to this team.

Mar 9, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Seth Curry (30) shoots in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

There are a few areas in which he can improve though. He became a better defender over his college career, but he can still improve. He could also improve on rebounding. Curry only averaged 2.5 rebounds last season at Duke. He’s only 6’3″, so he’s not expected to rebound like David Lee. However, he could earn more playing time if he crashes the boards more. Also like his brother, he could bulk up a little more. This would help him rebound more too.

The biggest part of Curry’s game that he can improve on is his playmaking ability. As mentioned before, Curry is 6’3″, so he’s a little small for a shooting guard, which is his primary position. Curry is a combo guard, but he didn’t get much experience playing point guard at Duke. He played point guard for parts of his junior season, but he’s naturally more of a shooting guard, so he ended up playing the majority of his minutes at that position.

Last season at Duke, Curry averaged only 1.5 assists. If he wants to earn more minutes with this Warriors team, he has to work on his playmaking. With the additions of Toney Douglas and Nemanja Nedovic, Curry won’t be expected to be the primary point guard, but, by learning to get his teammates involved more, it will make him more of a versatile player.

Since he’s such a good three-point shooter, defenders will likely try to chase him off the three-point line. If he added a pump fake to his game, he could then drive to the basket and swing the ball out to an open teammate. Stephen has mastered this skill, and if Seth can learn this from his brother, he could become a valuable asset to this team.

Seth Curry is somewhat of a long-term project for the Warriors. However, he will be worth the wait. He’s a hard worker, he’s passionate, and he’s determined to get better and learn as much as he can. He’s also extremely close to Stephen, and those two will push each other to be better. Plus, having Seth on the team is certainly a big marketing opportunity for the Warriors.

The newest Splash Brother is in town, and he’s going to do everything he can to make a splash with the Warriors.

The Top 5 Draft Picks in Golden State Warriors History

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This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

In the past decade, the Golden State Warriors have made some questionable draft selections including Patrick O’Bryant, Ike Diogu, Andris Biedrins, and Marco Belinelli. Despite these poor draft picks, the Warriors, as a franchise, have a rich history and have drafted some extremely talented players.

In order to determine the top 5 draft picks in Warriors history, there are some factors that have to be considered. This is not a ranking of which player was better but more of a ranking of how good the actual pick was. The following picks were ranked and determined based on how long the player was a Warrior, what the player accomplished as a Warrior, and what pick the player was drafted with.

With that being said, here are the top 5 draft picks by the Warriors:

Honorable Mentions: Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond

5. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He is entering his fifth season in the NBA and is, arguably, one of the top five point guards in the league right now. After averaging 22.9 points and 6.9 assists last season, he should’ve been named an All-Star.

Although Curry hasn’t been selected as an All-Star yet, he has accomplished a lot in his four-year career. He was a First Team All-Rookie selection. He won the Taco Bell Skills Challenge in 2011. He had a 54-point game. He made the most three-point field goals (272) in a single season in NBA history.

Over his career, Curry has been the main reason why the Warriors have transformed from the laughing stock of the Western Conference into a legitimate title contender this season. Curry is a superstar, and he will accomplish much more for the Warriors in the coming years. Based on Curry’s career so far and the Warriors’ poor track record with drafting in recent history, this draft pick earned top five honors.

4. Wilt Chamberlain

The Philadelphia Warriors drafted Wilt Chamberlain as a “territorial pick” in 1959. In his rookie season, he averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds and won the Rookie of the Year Award, All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, and NBA Most Valuable Player. In his six seasons with the Warriors, he averaged over 30 points and 20 rebounds. In the 1961-1962 season, he averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds.

The Warriors didn’t see much success when Chamberlain was on the team though. He was criticized fiercely for averaging so many points and rebounds, yet not converting his personal success into the team’s success.

Although Chamberlain is one of the greatest players in NBA history, he ranks at number four, in terms of Warriors’ draft picks, because he only played six seasons with the Warriors and the lack of team success during that time.

3. Chris Mullin

The Golden State Warriors selected Chris Mullin with the seventh overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He played a total of 13 seasons with the Warriors in two stints. He was a five-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1992. From 1988-1993, Mullin averaged more than 25 points and five rebounds, and the Warriors made five consecutive playoff appearances.

Mullin was known for this shooting, passing, decision-making, and his constant effort on the court. He wasn’t known for his speed, so he had to out-smart his opponent and keep them off balance using fakes, stutter steps, etc. Of course, Mullin, Hardaway, and Richmond formed the “Run TMC” trio for the Warriors, which featured high-scoring, fast-paced play.

Mullin’s 13 total seasons as a Warrior earns him the number three spot.

2. Nate Thurmond

The San Francisco Warriors drafted Nate Thurmond with the third overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft. Thurmond played a total of 11 seasons with the Warriors. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and a two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection. He’s also the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double.

Thurmond played alongside and backed up Wilt Chamberlain during the beginning of his career. When Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Thurmond became the starting center and proved to be exactly what Chamberlain wasn’t for the Warriors.

Thurmond was one of the greatest rebounders and shot blockers in NBA history. Although Thurmond was one of the most dominant centers to play the game, he wasn’t able to bring the Warriors a title.

1. Rick Barry

The San Francisco Warriors drafted Rick Barry with the second overall pick in 1965. Barry played for eight seasons with the Warriors in two different stints. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1966. He’s also an eight-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA First Team selection, and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1967.

Barry was known for his pinpoint three-point shooting, his basketball IQ, his excellent execution on defense, and his accurate, yet strange, free-throw shooting. Barry is regarded as one of the best small forwards to ever play in the NBA.

He helped bring the Warriors their first and only NBA championship, so far, in 1975, and he was named the NBA Finals MVP. Since he is the only player on this list to bring the Warriors a championship, he deserves to be named the best draft pick in Warriors’ history.

Stephen Curry vs Russell Westbrook and the Other Intriguing Warriors vs Thunder Matchups for 2013-14
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder will most likely be two of the top-four teams in the Western Conference this upcoming season. Here are five of the most intriguing matchups between these two teams:

1. Stephen Curry vs. Russell Westbrook

Curry and Westbrook are arguably two of the best point guards in the league. However, they play completely differently. We all know that Curry is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He shot an incredible 45.3 percent from three last season, and he can score in many different ways. He’s also one of the best and most creative passers in the league.

Westbrook is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. He’s incredibly quick, and he can beat anyone in transition and in the half court. He might have a questionable shot selection sometimes, but he’s a strong finisher and can beat anyone into the paint.

This matchup of pure shooting versus extreme speed and athleticism will surely be an intriguing one this upcoming season.

2. Harrison Barnes vs. Kevin Durant

Speaking of athletic, Barnes proved many critics wrong last season by displaying his explosiveness and athleticism. Barnes became one of the Warriors’ most exciting players because of his insane dunking ability. Just ask Nikola Pekovic, Anthony Randolph, or Ersan Ilyasova.

Durant can score in so many different ways. He attacks the rim, but he also has a smooth shooting stroke. It will be quite the matchup to see one of the most promising small forwards in the NBA, Barnes, go up against one of the best small forwards right now, Durant.

3. Andre Iguodala vs. Kevin Durant

Iguodala is also extremely athletic and can score in many different ways, just like Durant. He slashes to the rim, but he can also spread the floor and shoot threes. In addition, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, so seeing him going up against Durant, offensively and defensively, will certainly be fun to watch.

4. Klay Thompson vs. Kevin Durant

Thompson isn’t quite the athletic, all-around scorer that Durant or Iguodala is, but he’s arguably one of the best three-point shooters in the league, just like his backcourt teammate. This Splash Brother shot 40.1 percent from three last season, and he’s been working on driving to the basket more. He also has shown much improvement on the defensive end. He’s not quite the defender that Iguodala is, but he showed in the playoffs that he can effectively guard smaller guards, such as Ty Lawson or Tony Parker. When the Warriors go small, it will be interesting to see him guard a larger, longer small forward like Durant.

5. David Lee vs. Serge Ibaka

This will be a fun matchup to watch when the Warriors are on offense. Lee is criticized a lot for his defensive deficiencies, but he is extremely skilled offensively. He can post up, shoot the mid-range shot, and he’s a great passer for a power forward.

On the other side, Ibaka is a beast defensively. He led the NBA last season in blocks per game with 3.03, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season this year. Ibaka uses his athleticism and his long wingspan to disrupt players in the paint. This matchup, featuring Lee’s offensive abilities and Ibaka’s stellar defense, will certainly be an entertaining one.