- Programming notes: Watch Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson’s wide-ranging interview with Warriors superstar Stephen Curry on the latest episode of Dubs Talk, airing Saturday at 4 p.m. on Warriors Pregame Live ” premiered before and aired again after “Dubs Talk Live.” NBC Sports Bay Area.
How Stephen Curry answers that question says a lot about who he is as a basketball player and a person.
Never mistake Curry’s smile and boyish joy for a lack of competitiveness. If challenged, the Warriors superstar will grab his opponent’s heart right from the chest and toss it into a carry-on bag, like an angry Lloyd Christmas. Curry also brings greatness.
He welcomes it and feeds on it.
Such was the case playing alongside Klay Thompson and Draymond Green over the past decade. The same could be said for his three seasons as teammates with Kevin Durant and the special bond he had with Andre Iguodala for eight seasons.
So it’s no surprise that when Curry was asked which player in NBA history he’d like to play with, he chose three players and decided to make them teammates rather than enemies.
“My top three, obviously (Michael) Jordan, (Shaquille O’Neal) and I’d probably say Hakeem Olajuwon,” Curry told the latest episode of “Dubs Talk” NBC Sports Bay Area said. “I want to play with those three guys because I think with Jordan, we all just wanted to see it up close and personal. And then I think the pick-and-roll with me and Hakeem or me and Shaq is going to be unstoppable.”
Starting from the order, Curry’s first choice is what everyone wants to see. Whether home or away, the arena will be filled with No. 30 Curry jerseys and No. 23 Jordan jerseys. Everyone wants to be like Mike in the ’80s and ’90s, soaring through the air with his tongue hanging out, waiting for that awesome dunk.
Now, Curry impacts fans of all shapes, colors, ages and genders. He is a trusted star, and the Warriors and the entire NBA have their blessing to represent the game. How Curry changed the game of basketball behind the three-point line has yet to be truly imitated, but dreaming of doing so, at least at the local park, feels more achievable than taking off and dunking from the free throw line like Jordan did.
Additionally, Curry’s greatest strength is something Jordan lacked, although the game has certainly been much different in his 15 NBA seasons. Jordan’s career three-point shooting percentage is 32.7%. Curry’s lowest three-point shooting percentage all season was in his age-33 season, at 38.0%, making the two a perfect backcourt balance.
Then there’s a world where Curry runs pick-and-rolls with Olajuwon or O’Neal. No other words were needed except the one Curry chose: unstoppable.
But if Curry could step into Doc Brown’s DeLorean and crank it up to 88 mph, would he rather be an ambitious guy like MJ or someone with the physical advantages of Shaq?
Initially he needed some time to think. Curry hasn’t dunked in a game since a two-point win over the Sacramento Kings on February 21, 2019. The greatest shooter of all time only had 26 career dunks. Yet if He were to cast it into another world, He would do so with authority.
“Probably the physical dominance,” Curry said. “That’s the complete opposite of what I’ve experienced on the court. I’ve dunked a few times, but like there’s like, (Curry slaps his right hand to his left hand), they call it “Mouse in the house,” you can post and understand as soon as I caught it, this guy behind me didn’t stand a chance.
“It’s definitely an out-of-body experience. So I’ve seen Shaq do great things and I want to knock down some rebounds every now and then. That would be fun.”
One can only imagine a world where Curry shared the court with any of the three, or even reached into and stole a skill from their respective bags. Now, at 35, he still has superpowers that even Michael, Shaq and Hakeem don’t have and can only dream of.
It’s funny to think about, but the reality is that since Curry first put on a Warriors jersey, he’s been building up his foundation to put himself in a position to have a historic conversation with the three he imagined. hardwood.
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