Stephen Curry's Most Gratifying Rookie Moment: Winning Over Monta Ellis
I have always admired the talent of Golden State Warriors' point guard Stephen Curry, but most of my respect is derived from Curry's humble spirit, his positive attitude, and his humility.
Curry recently attended a charity golf event in which he was asked what the most gratifying aspect of his rookie season had been. Curry responded by saying his ability to win over teammate Monta Ellis trumped everything else.
Come again?
Curry averaged 17.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while finishing second in the NBA's Rookie of the Year voting, yet capturing the heart of Ellis was his most valued achievement?
Ellis' initial doubts about sharing the backcourt with Curry stemmed from their twin 6'3" frames, and how bigger opponents could potentially take advantage of the size difference.
Curry said he never took Ellis' words personally, but you had to figure he viewed those statements as yet another challenge on the road to proving he was a legitimate NBA player.
Most observers viewed Curry as strictly a jump shooter coming out of tiny Davidson College in North Carolina, and many doubted his ability to play the point guard position at the NBA level.
But Curry proved he was much more than a one-trick pony, and he used his amazing shooting ability to draw attention to the other elements of his game.
Former Indiana and Texas Tech coach Bob Knight called Curry the best passer in the college game during his junior year, and although most professional teams discounted Knight's comments, Curry made his words ring true.
You would assume Curry to be a shoot-first point guard, but during his rookie campaign he placed an emphasis on finding his teammates in their best position to score.
There were rookie mistakes caused by a tendency to force passes in the post, but Curry displayed natural instincts as a distributor on a team filled with shooters.
The perception that Curry's slight build would make him a liability on defense is still a concern, but his defense was what impressed Warriors' coach Don Nelson the most, and his play in the passing lanes resulted in numerous steals.
But the attitude and the sense of hope Curry brought to Golden State are most impressive; during a season where there was little to cheer about, his smile and hustle became the face of the franchise.
The Warriors face numerous questions heading into next season, but Curry's future with the franchise is not one of them. On the other hand, Ellis' future with the team is uncertain.
Many feel the Warriors could package Ellis and the sixth pick in this week's draft to move up and select a player in the post, or one who complements Curry more in the backcourt.
How ironic.
Before the 2010 NBA season, Ellis was questioning the rationale of starting beside Curry. Now Ellis' fate with Golden State hinges on whom the Warriors decide to pair with Curry, who is currently the future of the franchise.
The Warriors of 2010-2011 will definitely be Curry's team unless the Warriors somehow get a shot at John Wall. Barring that unlikely circumstance, the Warriors will advance as far as Curry can take them.
That's a far cry from a player who wasn't even expected to play much in his rookie season, and was openly questioned by his own teammate when he did get a chance to compete.
But Curry's humility is what the game of basketball is missing.
In today's "me first" world, it's refreshing to find a player like Curry who has accomplished so much yet is still willing to brush aside his own ego for humilitiy's sake.
I'm not sure if Curry will ever be a legendary player in the NBA, but his attitude and grace have already vaulted him higher than his wondrous skills ever could.
