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GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCEMay 4, 2015Stephen CurrySteve KerrBob MyersTHE MODERATOR: There have been only ten teams that have won 67 games in NBA history, that is nearly 1400 teams in league history. The best year in the 69‑year history of the Golden State Warriors, and the architect of three straight playoff appearances, Warriors' GM, Bob Myers, and the Executive of the Year. Seated next to him, five‑time NBA Champion as a player, an elite broadcaster for TNT on NBA coverage, the most wins by any first‑year coach in the history of the NBA, the head coach of the Warriors, Steve Kerr. Now, with this big speech they give you a big script when the league does this. If I get off script I'm supposed to say Kia all the time. That is just my cue there. On this part they say big build up for Steph Curry and use a lot of numbers. Well, when you think of Steph Curry, you're talking the best plus‑minus player in the NBA, top 10 in points, in assists, in steals, the best free‑throw shooter in the league, top 10 in three‑point shooting. By the way, the most threes ever in a season, broke his own record. We could go numbers all day with Steph Curry. I think the easiest thing to say is the winner of the 2014‑2015 Kia NBA MVP, Stephen Curry. So as we begin our program, when you think of building a team, you're looking, as Bob Myers had said, for character, talent, tenaciousness, competitiveness, leadership, and yet as he built the Golden State Warriors into the best record in the NBA, he already had a blueprint already on the roster, and that makes it a lot easier to build a championship title contender when you have someone like Steph. So Bob Myers knew I want to find guys to play with him, to build around him, to build the Warriors into this elite team on the court with their leader already on the roster, and he did that knowing the qualities that Steph possessed and a ton of teammates he put around him that all have the exact same thing. The GM of the Golden State Warriors, Bob Myers. BOB MYERS: I thought we were going to speak from over there. I remember about four years ago sitting in a doctor's office with Steph and I think our trainer and doctor, and he had hurt his ankle, and he rolled it without stepping on anybody's foot and everybody was discouraged and frustrated. We didn't have any answers. I remember sitting there looking at Steph and thinking, and I didn't know him that well at the time, that this is not how it's supposed to be for this guy. This isn't right and this isn't fair. It doesn't take long after meeting him to know that he's a special person. I remember thinking that day this can't be how his career goes. This isn't how it's supposed to be, and I fast forward in my own mind to today and I sit here sharing a stage with him thinking this is how it's supposed to be for Steph. This is the conclusion of four years of work and effort. For those of you that don't know him, he does a lot when no one's watching, and I know people are watching quite a bit now, but they weren't always watching. It's interesting in life. I think you meet or you look around at people, maybe some famous people, famous athletes and you say I'd love to meet that person, man or woman, and sometimes you get a chance to do that. Most of the time, to be honest, you're disappointed because they're not quite what you thought they would be. Sometimes you meet someone or get to meet a mentor or role model, and they live up to what you thought. Then in the rare occasions, you meet someone and they exceed what you thought. I can promise you, Steph embodies all of that. For the people that know him, they know what I'm talking about, and for the people that don't, hopefully you'll get a chance to interact with him one day. I honestly believe you don't get to be who he is and what he represents without having the support of the parents like Dell and Sonya and a wife like Ayesha and his brother and sister. You have done, Dell and Sonya, a tremendous job of raising an exceptional young man. Forget about three‑point shots, forget about everything he does for this organization. As a person, one of the best people I've ever come across and ever met. I know everyone watching and everyone here, I think you all know what he can do on the basketball court, but to be honest, you're missing the best part of him. If that's all you know, I don't need to talk about anything he does there. But I do think he deserves to be spoken of as a person because it is unique. We're thrilled as an organization. Myself representing Joe Lacob and Peter Guber up here, to be able to interact with him each day, it is an honor and a privilege. And I'll conclude with I do have one concern. About a week ago I saw him enter our facility with sunglasses on inside, and I think that's always the beginning of going in the wrong direction. So I told him that. I said, "Is this what we're doing now? We're doing this inside?" That was a true story, actually. So congratulations, Steph, and to your family, well‑deserved. THE MODERATOR: Note to self, never follow Bob Myers, very good public speaker, that's not good. The Warriors this year have been about the team. You think of the team with the best record in the NBA, the team with the best home record, the team with the best road record, the best shooting team, highest scoring team, and the number one assist team, and the number one opponent field goal percentage team, all about the team, and how these guys would come together and play together in a beautiful brand of basketball that we all love to watch and enjoy so much. The man who started that from day one about the team was the head coach, Steve Kerr, knowing he had the best player on this team who acts like everybody else and is one of the guys. The head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr. STEVE KERR: Thank you. This year I've been asked a million times about Steph, all kinds of questions. But one of the big ones is always who does he remind you of? I've been very blessed to play with some of the best players in NBA history and to have worked with many of them. My answer is always the same. He reminds me of two different people. One is Tim Duncan and two is Steve Nash. I've played with Tim in San Antonio and was in management with Phoenix when Nash was there, and the similarities are really striking. This is what I see with all three: Incredible confidence, amazing skill. Confidence to the point where maybe you dribble behind your back 30 times and take a fadeaway 35‑footer and your coach is going, Oh, my God, what are you doing? Great shot. Great shot. Way to go. That kind of confidence. Like never‑ending self‑belief. Nash had that, Duncan has that, Steph has that. Yet the foundation beneath all that is this incredible humility and humanity and a quiet strength. It's amazing to watch that because it's a very unique combination. You think of players who are brash and confident. Usually they're the ones chirping away. But Steph is so quiet and humble away from the court, and to me, that is the most powerful form of leadership. Those guys I mentioned had that, and it carries over to the locker room, and it carries over to these guys, and we have an entire team full of players who are confident, and other than Draymond, very quiet, but very much believing in each other and the process and the team. Steph embodies all of that. He makes it easy for all of us to sort of buy into this idea that we can do this together, and we can achieve great things together. I just want to echo what Bob said. When you win an MVP it doesn't just come from nowhere. It came from right here. It came from Steph's family. All of those qualities that we talk about that I just mentioned, the humility, the work ethic, the passion, that comes from family. That is another comparison with Nash and Duncan, great families. And that environment growing up has led to this moment. The love, the passion, the work ethic within the family has all sort of conspired to help Steph reach this point. One thing I've learned about Steph is he's all about family. He's all about Ayesha and Riley, and he's all about his mom and dad, and Sydel and Seth, and that carries over to our team. Our team is all about family. Steph, I want to thank you for making my job really, really easy. Because to build a team, you need that kind of continuity and joy and love for what we're doing, and you embody all of that. So congratulations and thank you. THE MODERATOR: You think the coach is saying, oh, my God what he's doing. Try to put a head set on and describe this guy for six months. Not easy. You run out of words. It's like did I really see that? Can i swear on TV? No, he's unbelievable. It is time for the official presentation. This trophy looks a little lonely here. The Maurice Podoloff Trophy, signifying the Kia NBA MVP for 2014‑2015, the VP of marketing and communications for Kia, Tim Chaney. Come on up and do the honors. TIM CHANEY: Thank you. This is definitely an exciting day. It's an exciting day for Stephen and his family. It's an exciting day for the Warriors organization that deserves it and their fans, and it's an exciting day for the league as well. So let's make this official right now. At Kia, we are true fans of NBA basketball and we're honored to be associated with this great game. As we continue in our eighth year as the official automotive partner of the NBA and as the official vehicle of the Golden State Warriors, we understand that work ethic and commitment and team work are all vital to success both on the road and on the court. The Kia Performance Award celebrates excellence and achievement on the court, and they include the Kia Sixth Man Award, Kia Defensive Player of the Year, Kia Rookie of the Year, and Kia Most Improved Player, and the reason we're here today, the Kia Most Valuable Player Award. So as the official automotive partner of the NBA and on behalf of all of Kia Motors America, it is my honor to present Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors with the 2014‑2015 Kia Most Valuable Player Award. Congratulations, Steph. As part of this award, I'm pleased to donate an all-new 2016 Kia Sorento CUV in Steph's name to the East Oakland Youth Development Center. THE MODERATOR: Steph Curry plays in a league of large, talented men, yet we all embrace him because of the boyish good looks, the ordinary size, the incredible ball handling skill, the unlimited range, and you watch him passing, scoring, and really we call him the human torch, illuminating and energizing every arena he ever plays in. This is the first time I've ever seen Steph Curry nervous. That's a first. That is what happens when you become the MVP of the league. He wears many hats. He is a son, he is a brother, he is a husband, he is a father, he's a teammate, he's a friend, and he is the MVP of the NBA 2014‑2015 Wardell Stephen Curry II. STEPHEN CURRY: I am a little nervous. This is a tremendous honor. First and foremost, I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing me with the talents to play this game, with the family to support me day‑in and day‑out. I'm his humble servant right now, and I can't say enough how important my faith is to how I play the game and who I am. So I'm just blessed, and I'm thankful for where I am. I love playing basketball. I mean, there is no doubt about it. It's something I've been doing since I was what, 2, with Fisher‑Price goals. My grandma is here. We were talking about it yesterday. She used to be my commentator. She used to be Bob Fitzgerald for me, counting down the scores. I'd hit a game‑winning shot or whatever, and I'd stumble over and give her a high five and stuff like that. So from that beginning to be standing here in front of you today is an incredible journey, a lot has gone into it. A lot of great people that I've met along the way that have every bit to do with that trophy as I do. I'm going to try to get through, obviously the people that are here, and people that are watching that have been extremely significant in my journey. But, obviously, if I don't get to you and you had a part in it, please understand that this hasn't sunk in at all. I'm on cloud nine, for sure. Obviously, we're in the middle of a playoff run and that is the most important thing, but today is a celebration, for sure. I want to be able to take the time to really appreciate what this means, and that's why we're here. I'll try to explain how I feel the best I can, but just bear with me. I've got to start with my wife. We met when we were 14, 15 years old in Charlotte, NorthCarolina. The last seven or eight years have been amazing. We've both grown into adults. We've moved cross country together, started a new life, and you're my backbone. You've allowed me to do what I do, to focus on basketball and my career, and still have a family. The sacrifices you make are unbelievable, and I can't thank you enough for who you are as a person, how you challenge me, how you inspire me every single day. We have a beautiful daughter and one on the way. She's over there smiling at me. Just, I love you so much, and I can't thank you enough for just being there for me day‑in and day‑out, whether I have a good game or a bad game. We lose, we win, when I go home, things are good, and that's comforting to know. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done for me, and you deserve a round of applause, for sure. Mom, Dad, they did a great job of explaining it so far, but I think it can't be understated how much my brother and I and my sister appreciate just who you are. You're the example for us. You handled a 16‑year NBA career and had us three and raised us the right way. Mom, you were our spiritual guidance, our disciplinarian at times because you were around when Pop's was away. Obviously, if we were in real trouble, he'd come home and take care of business, but just the way that you raised us, not taking any slack. Obviously we knew that sports was important to us and our family, but there are priorities in life, and obviously your faith is first and foremost. How we did in school growing up was important. If we didn't handle that business, then there were no privileges. I remember sitting out of my first middle school game because I didn't handle my stuff at home. That's a pretty embarrassing moment if you go to your first middle school game and you have to tell your team, hey, fellas, I can't play tonight I didn't do the dishes at home. They're like, what? What are you talking about? So, just that lesson taught me there is more to life than basketball. Obviously, the most important thing is your family and taking care of each other, loving each other, no matter what. Regardless, if I would have played basketball or not, I know you guys loved me and without a shadow of doubt you would have encouraged me in any path that I would have taken. Thank you so much. And Pops you're the example of what a true professional is on and off the court. I remember a lot of your career, and to be able to follow in your footsteps, it means a lot to me. This is special. I'm really proud of who you were able to do in your career, and I don't take that for granted at all. A lot of people thought I had it easy with Pops playing in the NBA, but I'll get to that part down the road. But it was an interesting journey. Just who you are, you've made it okay for me to have a family my age when I started, and to know that you take care of your business and you'll be all right. So thank you so much. My brother, Seth, is here. I'm proud of you, man. We had some battles growing up. You challenged me every single day when we'd play one‑on‑one in the backyard. I always joked our games would go on all night, and it would usually end for one of two reasons. One, my mom would come in and say we were disturbing the neighbors because it was too late and the bouncing ball they would maybe call over and tell us to shut up over there. Or two, you would get mad because I was beating you and you'd say I was cheating because I wouldn't give you a foul call, and you'd take the ball and run in until I said all right, you can have that foul, check‑up and top of the key. So those battles I'll never forget. It was a lot of fun. Just seeing you, how you've grown and following your career, it's not easy having an older brother that's playing in the NBA and obviously a dad that's done it before both of us, and the way that you're handling it is impressive. The sky's the limit for you. Keep doing what you're doing and keep making the family proud. Sydell, oh, man. The stories I could tell about us growing up. You made me watch all sorts of crazy movies, and stuff that I should not know line for line. But just really proud of you and the decisions you've made growing up. It's amazing to see. I love being able to just call you joking last night about what song is from what movie and kind of playing that game, and just the stuff that never gets old. It's really important to me no matter what happens in life. So I love that being the most consistent part of our relationship, and I'm really proud of you as well. I keep looking at my notes making sure I don't forget anybody. Grandma Candy, I'll always be your number one. Don't ever forget that. I've got a grandma, Grandma Ducky who is probably watching at home right now, my dad's mom, who it's the afternoon, probably East Coast time. She's probably flipping back and forth between this and the Braves game to check the score because she never misses a game. But I know she's watching, and I just want to say, I love you, Grandma. And I know Granddaddy Jack is looking down on us and is extremely proud of our family and where we are, and that means a lot to me. So I hope you're proud as well. Just I love you. My boy Bryant Barr. Man, we've been through a lot in the last seven, eight years since our freshman year at Davidson. You're like another brother to me. My best friend who challenges me spiritually, challenges me as a man, and also encourages me and supports me in everything that I do, and I really appreciate that. From the first time we stepped a foot on Davidson's campus we had a little shootout, and whoever made the half-court shot didn't have to pay for dinner at the local pizza joint. Obviously, he won. So we get in the car and go down to the pizza spot and order a bunch of food, and I pull the old "I forgot my wallet" trick because I obviously lost my wallet from the way to the gym to the pizza spot. So the next meal is on me, my man. We've come a long way. Just thank you for being there. Really proud of you, and just the story that we've been a part of is amazing and something that we'll always have with us. Nobody can take it away from us. I've had a lot of coaches that have helped me along the way. Obviously, Coach Kerr, you're very humble the way that you've approached this season. We obviously had a great, talented roster, but there is definitely something to say about what you and your staff have been able to accomplish in leading our group. This is a special year. The way you've challenged us from day one to take advantage of the opportunity that was in front of us. We're still obviously in the middle of this path and this fight, but I speak for my team, but I've enjoyed this year more than any other. Obviously, winning has a lot to do with that, but the preparation that you guys have brought every single day, not letting us get complacent, but not letting us get too big of a head about who we are as a team goes a long way. And I think you're a huge reason why we are here today, so thank you very much for being you and putting together this great staff that's sitting over here right here. I could go through every single guy. There is a huge reason why we are successful. So thank you very much to everybody that we see day‑in and day‑out. Coach Brown, who is my high school coach back in Charlotte, I know he's watching. Thank you for your encouragement every single day. You got me started, and I appreciate you. Coach McKillop, from Davidson, man, he's a big reason why I have the confidence that I do. I have the spirit about basketball and life. It's special to know that I could represent the Davidson basketball program up here today on this podium. It's a great day to be a Wildcat. I hope everybody is proud at home, and I'll be forever living the TCC principle, Trust, Commitment, Care, that you taught me from day one in everything that I do. So thank you so much for your guidance and your challenging me every day, and for my first workout, waving that white flag, asking me if I wanted to surrender. I looked you in your face and said, no, I'm going to keep fighting, and I've been rolling ever since. So thank you very much. To the Warriors organization, Joe, Peter, Rick, Bob, all of your staff in the front office, everybody that works upstairs in the offices, we play for a first‑class organization, and you have to appreciate that. I love coming to work every day because of how you treat us. What you've done to change the culture around here and just your leadership, so thank you very much for all your hard work and the decisions you've made along the way. Obviously, we've got another award, Executive of the Year, we should have had two more with Coach of the Year and obviously Draymond as Defensive Player of the Year. But I mean, just the way we are represented across the nation now and across the world, everybody has a hand in it, and you guys are leading that charge. So thank you very much. Love playing for you guys. I've got to talk about this guy really quick. Eric Housen who is in the back. He's going to be really embarrassed. We've got the best equipment manager in the league. I think these guys would agree. You probably have a more official title than that, but the work you do day‑in and day‑out taking care of us players, sometimes we're a little needy, sometimes we might need an extra pair of socks and it's our fault that we lost them. But we appreciate everything that you do. Walking in the locker room, I see a new pair of shoes sitting in front of me with a Sharpie in there laced up, those little things mean a lot. It starts your game‑day routine. There are little things you might take for granted day‑in and day‑out, but I want you to know we appreciate everything you do. I know you're proud to be part of this organization, and you've been here probably the longest, so well done, my man. Larry Riley is here. Where are you, Larry? Are you here? He's the reason I'm here. He drafted me. He saw potential in me coming out of college, along with Don Nelson, making those decisions. You're a big reason why I'm here, taking a chance on a scrawny little kid from a mid‑major school. So just wanted to say thank you for believing in me. Crazy how far we've come in six years, but just thank you, man. I can't thank you enough for that decision.       All the rest of the Warriors staff, Dan Martinez, Raymond Ridder who we see every day. I see Lisa over there, Brett, Matt, all you guys that handle our affairs on and off the court. You make us look good. We thank you for all the work that you do to put us out there to get our stories out there. Allow us to help in the community, all of that. It means a lot. The work that we've been able to do, and just spreading across Dub Nation, so thank you guys for being there. Speaking of Dub Nation, say it all the time, we've got the best fans in the league, man. Speaking of the year I was drafted, we were awful. We were awful. We won, I think, 23 games my rookie year and a couple years after that finally cracked the ceiling and made the playoffs. You walked in our arena back in '09 or even before that, and you wouldn't know this is a losing team that was well outside of the playoff chase by the way the energy in the arena was every single night. So thank you, guys, for the support every single night for having the best home court advantage. We're going to need you tomorrow night as well to bring that spirit. We love playing for you guys and we want to make you guys proud by bringing home a championship. That is the ultimate goal. This is a minor checkpoint on that mission. So we're going to make a strong push at this thing and protect Warriors' ground in everything that we do. Where's Ralph Walker at? Where's Ralph? He's guarding the door (laughing). Ralph, our head of security, I've seen a lot of you the last three years. You're at every event, every practice, every game. You're our eyes when we don't have them, and we appreciate you putting yourself out there anytime we need you being there for us. So we appreciate everything that you've done, and I like that vest. It's nice. Lastly, the people that are here, my team at Octagon. I've got the strongest team behind me, and I appreciate you guys being there from day one. It's crazy. Jeff in particular, can you imagine this, man? You were there when my dad was playing, and came under the umbrella, and you represent me well, and I appreciate everything that you've done and your whole team. Thank you very much. So that's all the people in particular. But when I found out that I had won MVP yesterday, I really didn't know what to do. We left the game. Going back to the house, and I have a bunch of family in town, and they were being really weird from the time I got out of the car, like asking me weird questions, pulling me off to different areas of the house, and I couldn't really figure it out. Then my brother called and he was like, hey, you need to check something out in your closet. Can you show me some shoes? And I was like okay, cool. So we walk in the back. And there my whole family are with their shirts on my team at Under Armour made, and I couldn't really read what it said at first. They all walk in, and they have their cameras out with the cheesiest smiles you could ever imagine like just‑‑ with their phones. And I'm like looking at Seth, I'm looking at everybody like what's going on? And they got something on my shirt? I don't know what's going on. So I looked, and my sister kind of points down. I'm like looking, and they all had how they're related to me. My husband is SC30, and at the bottom in yellow font it said MVP. So I couldn't read it at first. So I took a further glance. I'm like wait, what? For real? And I just break down crying and hugging, and it was a great moment that I'll remember for the rest of my life. But after that I kind of went and sat in the chair in the corner and thought about the journey. It was an emotional ten minutes just sitting there, thinking about all the people that have helped me along the way. Every little part of the story that made a difference in my life, and there are obviously good times and bad times. Times I wanted to shut it down and times where you realize that all the hard work that you put into it was worth it, and it just made me realize how blessed and grateful I really am to be in this position on this platform to be able to impact so many people across the world by just trying to be myself. My wife and I were sitting and trying to think about what I was going to say today and kind of what the message would be. We came up with four ideals that describe the journey the best way I know how. That is faith, passion, drive, and will. And I'll try to explain the best way I can. You guys will be a part of one of those. Obviously, my faith, I wanted to use this opportunity to shed light on who I am and what drives me to play the way that I do. I do a little sign on the court every time I make a shot or good pass, and I pound my chest and point to the sky, and that symbolizes that I have a heart for God. Something my mom and I came up with in college, and I do it every time I step on the floor as a reminder of who I'm playing for. People should know who I represent and why I am who I am, and that is because of my Lord and Savior. So I can't say that enough. The passion part is where my love for the game was bread. I kind of got the ultimate paradox for a story. I'm the son of a 16‑year NBA veteran. I remember a lot of his career. I was blessed to have a family that never really struggled when I was growing up thanks to my dad and his career. We had the means to do a lot growing up. You would think that my future was set based on that fact, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. I was always the smallest kid on my team. When it comes to basketball, I was always the smallest kid on my team. I had a terrible, ugly, catapult shot from the time I was 14 because I wasn't strong enough to shoot over my head, and I had to reconstruct that over the summer and it was the worst three months of my life. You'd think there are no hurdles or obstacles that I had to overcome, but even when I got to high school I wasn't ranked. I wasn't ranked. I wasn't highly touted as a high school prospect. I had nobody really running, knocking on my door saying please, please, please come play for our school until Coach McKillop called. Everything happens for a reason, and there is a story to everything. If you take time to realize what your dream is and what you really want in life, no matter what it is, whether it's sports or in other fields, you have to realize that there is always work to do, and you want to be the hardest working person in whatever you do, and you put yourself in a position to be successful. And you have to have a passion about what you do. Basketball was mine and that's what's carried me to this point. Part of that passion is the drive to keep pushing on, and that's with who you're surrounded by. These 14 guys sitting on this stage right here. You guys push me every single day. I'm going to go through kind of just talking about you individually because you need to be highlighted as a part of this process, and as a part of the team that we built, and a reason why this trophy is it sitting here, and hopefully another trophy will be sitting here in a few months. LB, the Brazilian Blur, just seeing how fast you are right now, I mean, I can imagine when you were playing with that other MVP back in the day. Your spirit in the locker room, you're the funniest dude on this team. Maybe arguably, but you're up there. You just bring it every single day, man, whether you're playing 20 minutes, playing five minutes, whatever you're called on to do, you're the ultimate professional, and that goes a long way. I respect you so much for how you've handled this season and just thank you for being who you are. S. Dot, man, your journey is crazy. I mean, everybody knows where you've been and the fight that you've had. I love playing with you, because you're low maintenance. You don't need anything. You just go out there and hoop, and you do what you do. We can count on you every single night to be ready to play and help us win games. Lot of times it might not show up eye‑popping numbers on the stat sheet, but you help us win games every single night man and are a big part of why we are who we are. B. Rush, I'm going to call you your nickname on live TV (laughing). It's your second go around with the Warriors, and obviously it's a little different than the last time you were here. But you're also the guy that when we come in every single day, whether it's practice or whether it's games, I know you're locked in and ready to go. I know it's been tough finding your niche with this group, but your personality and the way that you play and the way that you push us in practice gets us ready. There is going to be probably an opportunity for you to help us down the road, and we're going to need you. Just the way that you handle that situation is very impressive, and I appreciate that. I know all the guys do as well. Speights, Mo Speights, Mo Buckets, your spirit on the court is contagious, man. You just have fun playing the game. You're the biggest shooting guard in the league and you wear the lowest low tops on the team. So it's like the biggest‑‑ I'm confused when I watch you play, but I know when I come off the pick‑and‑roll, you're going to knock down that shot. You're going to get the crowd hyped, talk to the other team, and you're just going to enjoy playing basketball, and what that means and that competitive nature about you is special. So keep doing what you're doing. Dre', Andre, we probably talk about golf more than we talk about basketball. But the conversation we had two years ago at Oracle Arena half court, I remember that. Man, I'm about to cry on that one. That meant a lot to me, because basketball's important to me, but my family and my faith are ten times more important to me and you recognized that. And what you said on the court, I'll never forget that. Obviously, the decision after that summer was big, but, man, that meant a lot to me, and I just want to say thank you for that. Appreciate who you are as a player and as a person. We had some crazy conversations when you're in the locker room, but you're the ultimate vet, ultimate professional, and I appreciate you. Swag Ezeli, you are, man, that was a rough year last year, but you've come back strong, man. You always had that determination and that drive that you can go out there and do anything on the court. My favorite part about Festus is when I come off the pick‑and‑roll and sometimes they'll chat me or double team me, and I don't throw him the ball, he gets so mad at me because he wants that ball in that paint. He wants to drop step and get to his left shoulder and hit that right hook. But sometimes I can't give him the ball. He's like, Yo, did you see me on that last play? And I'm like, yeah, I saw you, I just couldn't get you the ball. I'm not looking you‑‑ well, sometimes I look you up. But I'm not‑‑ (laughing). You made a play last night that I got more excited about your play last night than any other play in the game. So that's just our relationship and I love it. Your will to keep getting better is amazing. It's going to take you a long way in the league. So keep being who you are. But turn that swag down just a little bit though. Draymond, man, you set the greatest screens, man. You and Bos‑‑ he's calling himself the screen. We got a little joke that D‑League came up with. Every time I walk around with these two guys they call themselves Steph Curry and the Screen Setters (laughing). But your spirit, man, you're the voice of this team. I try to lead by example and try to be as consistent as possible, but your voice and your spirit every single day whether it's going well, whether you're making shots, missing shots, it doesn't matter. You're the same person, and we can count on that every single night, and that's what makes you who you are. As a part of your story and your journey, our text message conversation last night just put in perspective just how crazy this whole situation is, man. Not many people knew who I was talking about, but we'll leave that. Going on over to this side. H.B., the Black Falcon (laughing), oh, man. From day one you're my locker mate. You're always to my right. I've just seen you kind of mature into your game. You were obviously crazy young when you came into the league out of Carolina. But I remember the first time I met you was at Chris Paul's camp in Wake Forest we went. You were looking for a foam roller out of the trunk of some car because you wanted to take care of your body. I'm like I've never seen a high school player actually want a foam roll or stretch or do any of that, and this guy was like not going to go on the court unless he found that foam roller to take back to the hotel, and things don't change, bro'. You are wise beyond your years and a huge catalyst for our success the last three years. What you did your rookie year in the playoffs and just getting better and every single year has been huge for us. You've got my vote when you run for whatever office after you're done playing. You can probably ask the mayor of Oakland right there for some advice. But you've got my vote, for sure. Just Holler, Justin Holiday, this is our first year together. But your story and how you've had to fight to make the team and to establish yourself as an NBA player is amazing. Your confidence when you get on the floor, you want to make plays, you want to do your best every single night, and that's inspiring, for sure. You've been there, a huge presence for us all year, and I know that this has been a great year for you, and we want to capitalize on it. I want to see you do some great things, so keep working. Keep doing what you're doing. You're a special player that deserves to be on this level, and I'm just proud of the way you've done what you've been able to do. My splash bro', whew, Klay Thompson. Man. You're the quietest guy. You're actually a lot better than you used to be. But you're definitely a quiet guy that every year I've gotten to know. (Lost Audio on Webstream). You can lock up any guard in this league, and you made my job easy. When I come off the floor and I see you on other wings dishing balls and those going up, and most of the time it's going in. So hopefully we have a long future together, man, and we can do some special things and hopefully be the best back courts to ever play this game, and that is something that is our mission. We should challenge each other every day in that regard and make it happen. A.B., Andrew Bogut, he's our eraser, man. When he first got traded to our team, I was hurt and he was hurt, and the team went on a road trip and we were left behind for treatment, and I took him and picked him up at the hotel and got in my car and drove to my apartment in San Francisco. It's a little small, 2‑bedroom spot, and I was kind of nervous to show him my spot because it's basically you're not going in my bedroom, so you're going in that one little sitting area. And he's 7'2", and I had the smallest couch. So he's sitting with his knees in his throat watching the game. But ever since then, I see how much basketball means to you, how hard you work through injuries, through ups and downs, to getting ready for big moments. And I know this is a big year for you being healthy and being able to contribute at a high level every single night to help our team. So, man you make us look good on the defensive end, and the way that you challenge whoever you're facing is impressive. I appreciate you put your body on the line every single night, and that makes us better, so thank you. Respect. D. Lee, man, we are the OGs of this team. We've been here the longest, since 2010. We've always had these little inside jokes that nobody else knows about because nobody else was here. And it's special. You're an All‑Star, and a high‑caliber player that's done some big things in your career and this year is no different. The way we talked about it yesterday, the way that you handle it with the ultimate goal in mind, being ready every single night when you're called upon, that is as huge a part of our success as anything because it could go the other way quickly. So, you're a great friend. The change that's been happening in this organization, I think me and you appreciate it the most. And we've got to finish this thing off so that we can get that ring and really celebrate. McAdoo and Kuz, I don't mean to lump you two together, but you're the two new guys. Obviously, Kuz has been in a little longer, the Santa Cruz D‑League champs. Appreciate all your hard work coming in every single day, working before and after practice. That sets the tone for our practice when we see guys out there getting it in. You make us want to get out there and work. So thank you so much for who you are and being who you are. You're a huge part of this team, just your spirit and your presence every single day, whether you play or not, you're always into it and we appreciate that. You've both got some great careers ahead of you. Phew, got through that. I go through that long spiel about my teammates, just to say that we share a lot of memories, and this is just a snap shot of the journey. We'll remember this year no matter how it finishes, really. But we have a huge goal in mind this year, and we'll be able to talk about it for years to come.       Every time we think of this moment we'll talk about it and moments that hopefully will happen in a couple of months, it will all mean so much to us. How much sacrifice we've put into it, how much work, just the consistency that it takes to get to where we are. It takes all 14 guys. You can't have one bad apple in this equation, and we don't. So we're truly grateful. I'm grateful to have this team behind me. This is not possible without you guys. I want everybody to get a fingerprint on that so I can remember who I rolled with during this year, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. All right. I've been long‑winded, but this is the last part. I've talked about faith, passion, and the drive with the guys that I've been around and the guys that surround me every single day. But a part of that is having the will to succeed. Knowing that you've put the work in and have the confidence to let it show. What I tell people is be the best version of yourself in anything that you do. You don't have to live anybody else's story. Sometimes people make it seem like you have to have certain prerequisites or a crazy life story in order to be successful in this world. But the truth is you really don't. It doesn't matter where you come from, what you have or don't have, what you lack or what you have too much of, but all you need to have is faith in God, an undying passion for what you do and what you choose to do in this life, and a relentless drive and the will to do whatever it takes to be successful in whatever you put your mind to. Make sure you live in the moment and work your butt off every single day, and I hope I inspire people all around the world to just be themselves, be humble, and be grateful for all the blessings in your life. I'm truly honored to be your MVP this year. Thank you very much. THE MODERATOR: We'll now open the floor to some questions from the media. Q. Steph, what was the biggest challenge in your life on and off the court? STEPHEN CURRY: The biggest challenge on the court? Probably just my high school recruiting process and that whole journey. It was a crazy two years. Like I said, I wasn't ranked. Nobody knew about me really other than that I was Dell's son. But I wasn't physically gifted or anything to play the game at a high level is what they said. I had to find a way to keep getting better and find a way to make an impact on the collegiate level, which was pretty‑‑ it was a lot of hard work. There were‑‑ obviously, all the extra shots you have to take, all the extra time you have to put in the gym definitely blessed to have, like I said, great teammates here, but also in college that pushed me every single day. But it wasn't easy, and nothing was carved out as a clear path for me. I had to kind of do it a different way, and that was fun. I appreciate every part of my journey. Off the court has probably been having the family life in the NBA. It's a challenge, and there are obviously a lot of sacrifices that go into it. You're away from your family so much. We're on road trips every other day. The time we spend in the gym here even when we're at home, there is always some event that's going on, so that's a huge challenge, and obviously I have to have understanding from my wife, but there is so much time that you spend away from your family that you appreciate the sacrifices they make. Obviously, as long as I'm playing, the schedule is going to have to be the same, so you have to keep battling that fight every single day. Q. So watching since my rookie year the way you've grown and how everybody has taken notice, and all these endorsements you get and stuff, you're about to get a lot more now. It's crazy. But Luke is like one of my main guys, and I talk to Luke all the time about his journey with Kobe and the Lakers championship and stuff. And one thing I wanted to ask that I got out of Luke is when Kobe won an MVP, they all got watches. You keep mentioning us like we're a part of this, so I was just wondering what our gift was? That's all. STEPHEN CURRY: That's a great question, Draymond. I warmed you guys up with the PlayStations last week. That wasn't good enough though. I understand. I understand. That gift was to buy me some time until this announcement, and now I can up the level of the gift before we get out of here in June. So don't worry. I don't know what kind of watches they were, but I'll beat that gift. Q. Can you reflect a little bit on the contrast between a day like this with this kind of joy, and some of the struggles that you went through the first couple years? The ankle problems, the losing, the roster change. At what point did you start to feel this thing turn, and could you have imagined it at this point? STEPHEN CURRY: You have big dreams, but you don't know exactly what it will feel like at the end or what the end will be. Like I say, you kind of try to live in the moment as much as possible. There were some terrible times that you question the future a little bit maybe how am I going to get out of this situation or what's it going to take to really make comeback? But I think this summer after the lockout year when I had my second surgery and the prognosis was pretty good, that if I stuck to my rehab schedule and took my time getting back, that I hopefully wouldn't have to deal with it ever again. That was a huge, huge time window to really just sit back and take care of what I needed to take care of, and kind of let everything happen after that. I didn't want to have to force it because there is so much that goes into that. But that summer was huge just to feel healthy, get back on the court, have a free mind when I was playing and continue to get better. Thankfully I've got some great teammates. Every year I felt like we had a better roster. When that happens, you start winning more. The energy starts to pick up, and you have fun again. That is the biggest thing is having fun and having joy on the floor when you're playing. Q. Just talk about early on, what were the biggest things you had to deal with being the son of an NBA player and the toughest things? STEPHEN CURRY: There is pressure, for sure, because I grew up in Charlotte. I was obviously born in Akron, but I grew up in Charlotte where he played for ten years, and he was the original Hornet. The honorary, pretty much, mayor of Charlotte, so everybody knew who he was. For that reason, they knew about me, but they didn't‑‑ I'm sure they expected to see some broad, 10, 11, 12‑year‑old come out that had all this game, but that wasn't me at all. I could shoot a little bit, but I had to work on my game every single day and nothing was easy. When I got to high school, that's where the pressure really kicked in. You get opposing crowds telling you, "How much did your dad pay the refs off" or "Daddy can't help you on the court" and stuff like that every single place you go. You kind of just try to block it out. I knew I was under his shadow, but doing the best I could to kind of just create my own story and getting wrapped up in that as opposed to trying to make it to the NBA and that's all I wanted to do was just kind of being part of the journey. That was the biggest thing my parents taught me is it's going to take a while, but you just do what you need to do. Work hard every single day and it can happen. Q. Your ending words, you said, "Be yourself." Is that easier said than done as a superstar in the NBA? STEPHEN CURRY: You've got to be conscious of it. You've got to know what path you're taking and every step, every decision you make. You can't just float through life in that situation. You have to get caught up. But you know, every day just trying to stay as grounded as possible. That's how I like to start my days. That's why I love my family so much because they don't let me get a big head at all. They keep it real with me. So whenever I leave the house and get ready for my day I know what I'm about. No matter what hoopla is going on around me, whether I played well the night before or not, things stay the same at home, and we enjoy each other's company. That is kind of what my foundation and my ground is. So that's important to me. Q. I understand that you are donating that Kia over there to the East Oakland Youth Development Center. I wanted to ask you why you chose them, and how important is it for you to give back to the community? STEPHEN CURRY: It's very important. We have a community that supports us whether fans can get to games or not, they wear our uniforms. They look up to us. We're huge figures in the community, so we have a huge voice and we want to be able to use it. Whether it's in a situation like this and being able to donate a car to an organization that helps the youth in the community getting to and from appointments and educational opportunities and helping out certain families in need, you know, those four wheels over there can do a lot of good. So it may be a small gesture in a sense, but it's an opportunity to impact somebody's life, and I am appreciative of that. I've done a lot of stuff in the community both here in the Bay Area and back home in Charlotte and over in Africa with the fight against malaria and all that kind of stuff, and it's important. Because we live in a nice little bubble of playing basketball, but there are some real‑world issues that are going on. If we have a voice and we can impact those issues and change somebody's life and make an impact for good, we've got to be able to do it. Q. I admire the fact that you've represented USA more than once. A lot of stars just want to rest up. It's been a long season. Why is it important for you to play for your country? STEPHEN CURRY: There are not many players that have worn that jersey. It's a huge opportunity. If you happen to make that cut and get the invitation to go, I think it's a big deal. Obviously, every situation is different. Everybody has their own agendas with how they treat their off‑season. If I have an opportunity to play against some of the best competition in the world for two months and get better. I had to chase LB around in Chicago playing against the Brazilian National Team. All those different situations kind of put you‑‑ or all those experiences put you in different situations that you might not get playing with your NBA team. I think it helps make you become a more well‑rounded player. Obviously, playing for Coach "K" was awesome. He's been around, coached my brother. He's obviously a great mind in the game. I enjoyed every minute of the 2010 experience and 2014, and hopefully can get one next year. Q. Obviously, you gave a lot of thank yous to your teammates. I was wondering what kind of teammate do you try to be to them? STEPHEN CURRY: I try to lead by example. You might not hear my voice every day, but just how hard I try to work every single day, pushing my teammates into situations that are necessary. I'm the type that might do more of the one‑on‑one, just pull a guy aside and say something. If we need to say something in the huddle, you want to be able to have that courage to speak up. But just leading by example is huge because on a day‑to‑day basis over the course of an 82‑game schedule, you need that consistency every single day to be successful and keep the vision and the commitments to what we're trying to do. It's not just me, obviously. Everybody has a part in that, especially Coach Kerr and his staff. But that's how I approach my leadership role and I've gotten a lot better at it. Q. I've got two questions for you. Number one, when did you really want to be a Warrior? And two, which teammate did you learn from most on how to be a leader? STEPHEN CURRY: When did I want to be a Warrior? That was your question? Q. Yeah, when did you really want to be? I know you had to say you wanted to be a Warrior. But I remember what it was like when you were here, and I just don't believe you really wanted to be a Warrior. STEPHEN CURRY: I don't know, man. I didn't know much about the organization when I was drafted. Obviously, I didn't know the players or the kind of direction we were headed. I was just happy to be drafted. That's a dream come true for anybody. As you get established in the league, you get comfortable and understand what the situation is. It was a little rough my first years, but I loved playing at Oracle, so that was always‑‑ you go around the league and you see different arenas, that's somewhere you want to play 41‑plus games in every night. I thought I could have a huge impact on changing the culture start the end of my rookie year, and really understanding what it would take to make that happen from a personal standpoint and the vision of what kind of team that we wanted to try to build here. Obviously the reason my man, Bob Myers, has an Executive of the Year trophy, because he's made all the right decisions and gotten us to a great place. So that's a big deal. I'm obviously happy to be a Warrior right now. There is so much good going on, and I feel proud to represent the Bay Area, and me and my family feel really comfortable here, so we love it. What was the other question? The leader I learned from the most. Probably Jarrett Jack had a big influence on me when he was here. Really, I could say this guy right here next to me. From his rookie year, he was a ten‑year vet the way that he came in and challenged us every single day from day one. So I learned a lot from him just being a consistent voice and being as observant about what was going on the team and not just what's going on with yourself. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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