Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunlevy Jr. had an idea of what kind of player Stephen Curry was going to be after their first clash against each other in the NBA.
Dunleavy Jr. spoke about Curry and his first impression of the point guard during his rookie year and how he instantly knew that this kid will be a star. He shared his thoughts in a recent episode of the Dubs Talk.
“I was playing for the Pacers — I had been traded there from the Warriors a couple of years prior — and you know, Steph was a lottery pick and I remember his rookie year, coming into Indiana, [Don Nelson] was the coach, some of the guys I played with and you can tell he was just finding his way,” Dunleavy recalled to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson.
He highlighted how it took time for Curry to adjust to a league which was very physical and for him to shine as a player who mostly relies on his skill than his size or athleticism took that adjustment period. “And I think when you come in the league as a skilled player and you rely less on your size, your length, your athleticism, it takes some time to adjust,” the Warriors GM said. “So he was going through that adjustment period.”
In their first encounter in 2009, the Warriors defeated the Pacers 126-107 but Dunleavy Jr. won the battle scoring 22 points and grabbing three rebounds in 22 minutes coming off the bench. Meanwhile, Curry could only manage seven points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds in 20 minutes.
Despite Curry’s less impressive display, Dunleavy Jr. was sure that the point guard is destined for greatness when he is at the peak of his health.
“And then a couple of years later, play him again because of injuries and what have you and you’re like, ‘Man, this guy has figured it out,’ Dunleavy Jr. concluded.
The 2012 season was a turnaround for Curry as he suffered from injuries. But it was also the start of something big from the point guard. Since that season, Curry averaged Curry has averaged 26.4 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 34.5 minutes per game. He has won the NBA Championship four times, a nine-time All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA selection. He also bagged the NBA MVP award twice and to add to it he has now won the NBA Finals MVP. The point guard is also a part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Even at 35, Curry still has that same drive, passion and hunger to win more accolades for his team and also for himself.
