Where would the Warriors be without Nellie?
Throughout Don Nelson’s 11-season tenure with the Warriors across two stints, perhaps nothing mattered more than helping draft Steph Curry in 2009. Before that fateful draft, Curry’s dad, former NBA star Dell Curry, held a conversation with the Warriors’ coach Nelson, where Golden State learned that Steph wanted to play elsewhere.
NBA reporter Marc Stein shared the details in a Substack post Tuesday, relaying a conversation he had with Dell Curry about Steph’s pre-draft thinking. They were sold on Steph becoming the face of the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Except the Warriors were keen on drafting Curry at No. 7 overall and New York didn’t draft ‘til No. 8. Nelson was steadfast talking with Dell over the phone, though.
“I said, ‘No, we’d rather you not take him if he’s there because we have another place we’d like him to be,’ ” Dell Curry told Stein. “He said, ‘Well, if he’s there we’re going to take him,’ and I said: ‘That’s your choice. You call me and ask me a question and I’m telling you the truth from my end.’ ”
That night, June 25, 2009, the Warriors changed everything by drafting Curry. He walked across the stage and shook the hand of NBA commissioner David Stern at the Madison Square Garden theater. It marked the start of his 13-season journey to Tuesday night’s matchup against the Knicks, where he’s just two 3-pointers away from tying Ray Allen’s all-time record.
Looking back on the draft day phone call with Nellie, now, Dell Curry said he’s happy with how it worked out.
“Thank God it didn’t happen,” Dell Curry told Stein.
Three titles, two MVPs and one new arena later, the Warriors are happy with how Curry’s career has ended up, too. Can you imagine if Steph was wearing a Knicks jersey all these years and coming off the other bench Tuesday night while breaking Allen’s record?
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Dell Curry is planning to be in the house for Steph’s big night, along with Allen. According to Stein, former Warriors general manager Larry Riley, who drafted Curry, will also be at the Garden after being invited by the franchise.
Here’s the top 10 of the 2009 NBA Draft if you’re interested:
1. Blake Griffin, PF (Los Angeles Clippers)
2. Hasheem Thabeet, C (Memphis Grizzlies)
3. James Harden, G (Oklahoma City Thunder)
4. Tyreke Evans, G (Sacramento Kings)
5. Ricky Rubio, PG (Minnesota Timberwolves)
6. Jonny Flynn, PG (Minnesota Timberwolves)
7. Steph Curry, G (Warriors)
8. Jordan Hill, PF (New York Knicks)
9. DeMar DeRozan, SG (Toronto Raptors)
10. Brandon Jennings, PG (Milwaukee Bucks)
While Curry has become a generational talent, the Knicks’ pick, Jordan Hill, averaged 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds across eight NBA seasons. He only played 24 games in his rookie season with New York before being traded to the Houston Rockets, as part of a 2010 deadline deal that sent Tracy McGrady to the Knicks.
Also, Timberwolves. David Kahn. Oof.
