Stephen Curry And The Warriors: Ten Things Winston Wolfe Would Consider

For the first time in a long time, the Warriors drafted a player whom NBA analysts believe immediately fits Don Nelson's style of basketball. That he was initially selected as bait for a bigger fish in Amar'e Stoudemire now seems irrelevant. 

Nelson and GM Larry Riley have repeatedly assured us that Stephen Curry is staying in Oakland, where they believe he'll be a star for years to come.

So, let me get this straight—it's okay to get excited about Stephen Curry's future with the Golden State Warriors? 

I'd honestly like to. 

However, when I see how people are reacting to Curry I feel like Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe from Pulp Fiction. Overhearing Travolta's Vincent Vega and Samuel Jackson's Jules Winnfield express relief over their improving situation, Keitel famously utters the following:

(NOTE: THE LINK BELOW LEADS TO AN AUDIO QUOTE THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE WORKPLACE OR CHILDREN)

http://www.entertonement.com/clips/rfwqbxdltb--Well-Let's-Not-Start-Sucking-Each-Other's-Dicks-Quite-YetPulp-Fiction-Winston-'The-Wolf'-Wolfe-Harvey-Keitel-

Indeed, this situation is far from the point of celebration.  While there is a good chance Warriors fans will look back at his draft as a key move in the franchise's growth, there's an equally good chance that things won't pan out. 

Here are 10 things to Consider:

1) Star Power

The truth is that in most drafts, 2 or 3 players selected will become bona fide stars with 3+ appearances in all-star games. There will be 5-10 guys who become very consistent role players- guys who you wouldn't mind seeing your franchise issue a mid-level offer for after a couple of years. There will be 5-10 guys who have flashes of brilliance but never become consistent.

Finally, there will be 30-40 guys who are out of the league within five years.

In this respect, Curry is up against the same odds as the rest of the field. If your life depended on picking three guys from this draft that will make three or more all-star appearances in their career, who would you select?

2) Rookie minutes 

Don Nelson has been coaching in the NBA for about 1,000 years.  How many times has he drafted a player that he used extensively as a rookie? I remember one. 

Chris Webber was Rookie of the Year for Nelson and the Warriors in 1995 before forcing his way out of town for—gasp—the Washington Bullets. There's a half-full side of the story here, though.  

In return for Webber, the Warriors got Tom Gugliotta and several draft picks which became the rock-solid core of their NBA dynasty. Wait, no! The exact opposite of that happened. 

There is no half-full side here...

3) Collegiate Competition 

Curry performed phenominally at Davidson, often posting impressive numbers despite facing double-teams and exotic man-zone schemes. Years from now, players from Guilford, Lenoir-Rhyne, Winthorp, Samford, Elon, Furman, and Wofford will talk about the time an NBA lottery pick dropped 40 on them. 

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