The hypothetical Steph Curry-New York Knicks pairing of the 2009 NBA Draft has been a falsehood demolished.
But how close did it come to actually happening? Probably too close for comfort in the eyes of Warriors fans.
Steph’s father, Dell, surprisingly revealed that he pushed for his son to be a Knick at No. 8 during some very interesting pre-draft phone conversations with league executives.
Dell explained how it all happened Thursday on the “Heat Check with Stephen and Dell Curry” podcast.
“On draft day, we were in New York and I got a call from (former Warriors coach) Don Nelson,” Dell said. “He says, ‘Dell, do you have a problem if we draft Steph at No. 7?’ I said, ‘Yes, I want it.’ He says that?’ I said, ‘Yes, we want it in New York.’ We talked for five or ten minutes. He says, ‘Well, if he’s there, we’ll take him anyway.’ I say, ‘It’s your choice.’ You asked me for my opinion and I gave it to you.
“I’m glad you chose Steph. All went well”.
Fortunately for the Warriors, Dell’s lobbying was unsuccessful.
Golden State was gladly able to select Steph at No. 7 overall, while the Knicks settled for Jordan Hill with the next pick: The two have had very different professional basketball careers.
Dell’s pleas, however, were not limited to the Knicks. He also asked something of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had the Nos. 5 and 6 picks in 2009.
“I also got a call from Minnesota (Timberwolves) asking me about drafting (Steph),” Dell added. “I told them, ‘Please don’t do it. Please do not do it. It was (former Timberwolves assistant coach) JB Bickerstaff. They said, ‘Okay, we won’t do it.’
“They didn’t do it. (They took) two point guards in a row.”
Minnesota spent the fifth pick on Ricky Rubio and the sixth on Jonny Flynn.
Rubio, who retired from his 12-year NBA career during the 2023-24 NBA season, was a crafty passer with elite court vision in his prime. Flynn, meanwhile, averaged a healthy 13.5 points as a rookie, but would be out of the league after playing in just 163 total games due to a hip injury.
None of the players would approach Steph and Dell’s wish was granted.
The Warriors were right in their stubbornness in drafting Curry. Number 30 agrees, as he weighed in on the 2009 draft memories with his father.
“Shout out to (former Warriors general manager) Larry Riley, who had a vision of what I can be in the league,” Steph said. “Even after (those) conversations, (he) still felt like it was the right decision for him and the team to pick me.”
It was the right decision, as the Warriors won four NBA championships under Curry and essentially built the Chase Center on his legacy, along with Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and current coach Steve Kerr.
A father should always want the best for his children. In the case of Dell and Steph, it seems the basketball gods intervened.
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