Time and again, Stephen Curry has proved himself as a pioneer of the game, who also revolutionized it in some way. He has won four NBA titles and was the league MVP twice in 2015 and 2016. However, one accomplishment he was missing was a Finals MVP title, till 2022. Although Chef Curry was pivotal in Golden State Warriors’ previous three championship runs, it took one more championship to fill the missing piece in his trophy cabinet in 2022. Seven months after winning his first Finals MVP, Steph revealed his true feelings in a one-on-one interview with former executive Bob Myers.
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The 2022 NBA title against Boston Celtics was indeed one of the crucial victories in Steph Curry’s career. With his incredible performance through the Playoffs, Curry single-handedly carried his team to the Finals. In the Finals series, the Warriors defeated the Celtics 4-2, with Curry averaging 31.2 points per game.
Stephen Curry felt relieved rather than elated to win the Finals MVP in 2022
While Stephen Curry had won it all by 2022, the only missing piece in his trophy puzzle was a Finals MVP. He used to find himself in the same conversation as Michael Jordan and LeBron James in comparison to the greatest player and was a regular in almost everyone’s top 5 or 10 players list. But one thing that eluded his impeccable career till then was not winning any Finals MVP title.
Here is a clip of Steph Curry, uploaded by ESPN, frankly revealing his emotions to ex-Warriors GM Bob Myers after winning the Finals MVP trophy.
Steph Curry had won three Finals before 2022. In those instances, he failed to win the Finals MVP title, with then-teammate Kevin Durant beating him twice. Hence, Curry faced added pressure as he prepared to win the fourth NBA ring of his career. After an impeccable performance against the Celtics, Curry finally won his much coveted Finals MVP title. But rather than being elated, he felt quite relieved. He no longer would have to face the pressure to prove his worth, which was being judged due to the lack of a Finals MVP title. Speaking about this to former Warriors GM Bob Myers, Curry said:
“It felt amazing only because I knew I didn’t have to hear about it. It was amazing, it was about us winning again and that’s why I was crying on the court end. But then, getting that trophy, it was literally just so I didn’t have. I stood up and say that I know for the rest of my life, I’ll never have to hear it.”
Stephen Curry has always been a subject of ridicule and doubt because of his slender 6’2″ frame. Although he was a touted high school prospect, many colleges did not show much faith in him as much as Davidson did. However, his incredible performance overcame all such astounding challenges and stereotypes.
The Golden State Warriors are shaping up to be a powerful team with Steph Curry
Stephen Curry has given the Warriors the spark that they were looking for, for decades. With him on the team, the Warriors emerged as one of the best-competing teams both offensively and defensively. However, in the 2022-23 season, the team struggled to keep their winning form, having one of the worst away records. In the Playoffs, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals, which shattered their consecutive title dreams.
In the 2023 off-season, the Warriors traded Jordan Poole to acquire Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards. Perhaps, they might have made a huge gamble with this trade. Retaining Jordan Poole might have been a long-term investment for the Warriors, molding him as a homegrown asset. While CP3 might be one of the league’s best, the team should have focused on developing younger players rather than acquiring veterans.
