Stephen Curry Wanted Knicks, Not Warriors, to Pick Him in 2009 NBA Draft

Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry recently revealed he wanted to be selected by the New York Knicks heading into the 2009 NBA draft. 

Curry said on Showtime's All the Smoke (via Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area) he thought his wish was going to come true as the Knicks' pick, No. 8 overall, moved closer until he received a call from then-Golden State Warriors general manager Larry Riley.

"I wanted to go to New York and thought I was going to New York," Curry told Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes. "At the draft—in the green room—like, 'Oh, get to the eight spot and New York can get me.' And then I got the call from Larry Riley, like 'We're going to pick you in the seventh spot.'"

It's amazing how a single pick can change the course of NBA history.

The Minnesota Timberwolves had two opportunities to land Curry with the fifth and sixth selections, instead opting for fellow guards Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn. What if they had chosen Curry and DeMar DeRozan, the ninth overall pick in 2009, in those spots?

Meanwhile, the Knicks took forward Jordan Hill with the No. 8 selection. He spent just 24 games in New York before getting traded to the Houston Rockets and never became more than a fringe NBA role player.

Golden State added Klay Thompson in the first round of the 2011 draft and Draymond Green in the second round of the 2012 draft. That trio formed the foundation of a dynasty that would win NBA championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018, with the latter two title-winning teams featuring Kevin Durant.

It's impossible to predict what would have happened with Curry's career and the Knicks' fortunes if he got his wish and landed in New York.

He's an all-world talent, and getting the initial superstar in place is often the toughest part of a rebuild. That's why so many teams, including the Knicks, often languish at the bottom of the standings for extended periods of time—they can't find that first key building block.

Perhaps drafting Curry would have put New York on the path to becoming a marquee destination for elite free agents again and the franchise would have a few titles under its belt instead of the Warriors.

Unfortunately for the Knicks' diehard fanbase, it's nothing more than a what-if scenario as the team limps toward its seventh straight playoff-less season.