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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 13, 2017

Steph Curry

Stateline, Nevada

THE MODERATOR: Steph Curry, back as a second-time NBA champion. We all know you're two-time MVP.

Q. You've been here before, obviously, and you play hard when you're here. But with your pro gig coming up on the horizon, are you more serious here than you've ever been before about your golf?
STEPH CURRY: No, this is like -- before all that Web.com stuff happened, this was like the mecca of golf for me. Like it was my only time to play competitive golf during the summer.

So I took this very seriously. Obviously with the season I don't have much time to play and practice during the year. But I have a passion for it. I think about it all the time type of situation.

So it is very helpful to have this experience again looking forward to or in preparation for what will happen in the Bay Area in August.

Q. You've been kind of out of touch since -- out of the public eye. Can you give us your impressions on how you feel about basically the gang being kept together by Lacob and Myers and the fact you've been able to maintain basically the core of the team?
STEPH CURRY: It's huge, we want to preserve what we have. We have something special, an opportunity to, you know, really, really be in a great position every single year to win a championship.

So for Andre, Shaun, myself, Zaza, obviously K.D. to be back is big. We got a solid draft pick in Jordan Bell. Pat McCaw, Damian Jones and Kevon Looney in summer league doing things to help the team.

So there's obviously a couple of more spots. But for the most part to have the core back and familiarity throughout the roster is huge for us to be consistent going into next year.

Q. It's been about, I think, 362 days since Sunday, your dad beat you. I'm wondering how many times has he reminded you of that?
STEPH CURRY: 362 times. (Laughter).

Q. What do you expect will happen this year between the two of you?
STEPH CURRY: I hope to win. Obviously we have a fun little bit. I see the lake is at a very, very healthy level. And so whoever loses between me and him has to take a polar plunge into the lake before we head back to the Bay after Sunday's round. So I hope that's not me.

But it's always amazing to be in a tournament with obviously all these great athletes, celebrities, everybody who is so passionate about golf. But for me and my dad, he got me into the game when I was 10 years old. And we've had countless number of rounds together playing.

And so to be in this situation and I'm always going to be aware of what his score is and things like that, it's going to be fun.

Q. I forget who it was, one of the celebrities in here yesterday kind of joked a little bit that you're a guy who can win this thing, unless you're paired with your dad, he gets into your head. Any thoughts on that?
STEPH CURRY: That's a good scouting report. (Laughter). So if the amazing people at the American Century/NBC can give me a quick selection on who I could play with, I'll put my dad, like, in the group behind me so he knows, he can hear all the roars up ahead maybe that will rattle him.

Q. Have you worked out the details of the polar plunge, will it be in your full golf attire?
STEPH CURRY: For sure. Yeah.

Q. Will we be invited as the media?
STEPH CURRY: Not if I lose. (Laughter).

Q. You've reached a high level of excellence in golf. Can you give us a synopsis --
STEPH CURRY: That's very strong. That's a very strong statement there. I don't know about that.

Q. Could you give us just a synopsis of the evolution of golf, your relationship with golf? You just mentioned you started with your dad when you were 10.
STEPH CURRY: Yeah. So obviously he played 16 years in the NBA. And growing up during the summers, very similar schedule that I have, obviously you play basketball from October through hopefully June every year. And you have those three summer months to kind of get the golf fix in.

So when I was young my dad was just getting into the game as well. And he would take me around. I'd drive the golf cart, chip and putt, learn the ropes, and eventually built up some momentum and a passion and a love for it myself. And I was dragging him to the course type of situation.

So anytime you can do something with your dad and have fun, for us, in our family, outside of the basketball gym, is definitely special.

And, honestly, I think we talk about golf probably watch more golf than we do basketball, just because it's a nice change of pace and we both love it.

Q. You've got three other headliners, you have Aaron Rodgers, Charles Barkley and Justin Timberlake, you have to pick one as your caddie, one as your partner and the other one to do the Carlton with. Who would you match to what?
STEPH CURRY: You say caddie, play with and do the Carlton with?

I would put Chuck on the bag. He's talked a lot of smack about me and the Warriors in years. So I would load up my bag with some bricks pre-round and definitely put him through that torture for four hours.

I'd dance with J.T. just because he's uber talented in all facets of life. And I'd play with Aaron. He's got game. So that would be fun.

Q. What's your favorite fan interaction moment from today? I saw on the 7th hole you were swinging a bat and you're up there by the water, what was your favorite moment today from the fans?
STEPH CURRY: It's hard to pick one. That's the beauty of this tournament. It seemed like today there was a lot more people here than in years past, especially on a Thursday.

So from hole one through 18, there's just moments throughout the round where you just feel that excitement. Being so close to the Bay Area, there's a lot of Dub Nation out here and a lot of jerseys and love for our championship run and things like that. And obviously there's a lot of people out here ready to have some fun and turn it up a little bit. It's hard to pick one moment. That's why you love coming up here and the whole vibe of the tournament.

Q. Has your self-esteem taken a beating, like your dad beat you in golf, and your kids are more charming than you and you have to use your wife's name to get a restaurant reservation and things like that?
STEPH CURRY: You hit every nail on the head right there. So my little championship run and MVPs and all that stuff doesn't mean anything, in the grand scheme of things. So, you're right, I got a lot of work to do. A lot of work to do.

Q. Speaking of work, you work every offseason. When will you get back to working with Brandon Payne and doing your hard workouts?
STEPH CURRY: I don't know. We're kind of -- we're four weeks out, and moving the training camp and the season up a week or two.

So very soon. And I guess I'm kind of turning the corner in vet status of finding alternative ways to keep my body right and take my game to the next level and understand how I can really capitalize on the summer months to really recover without really being on the floor eight hours a day and pounding away.

So all those kind of approaches will take place very soon and I'll definitely come back strong, ready to go, and look forward to -- not too soon but look forward to the next chapter.

Q. Obviously your dad played in the NBA, but what kind of training did you put yourself so you were able to get to the next level as well?
STEPH CURRY: I mean, anybody wants to be successful in anything, there can't be somebody else pushing you to do it. That's pretty straightforward in that respect.

So I had to find my own work ethic, my own way of challenging myself and getting better. Me and my brother used to battle in the backyard all the time. I got my competition from that kind of environment.

I was always trying to find creative ways to work on ball handling and stretch my shooting range and things like that.

So my dad introduced us to it. But he kind of gave us the freedom and leeway to push ourselves as much as we wanted to, and he would support us in that respect.

So that's forever grateful for his approach to that, because you can have like a drill sergeant-type parents that may work for some, but it can also steal the joy and fun and your own identity out of what you're doing.

Q. Have your daughters thought about playing basketball at all yet?
STEPH CURRY: A little bit. They like to watch it. We have a hoop at the house. It gets used a little bit, not a lot-a lot. You've obviously seen the personalities of my daughters but they love to dance, sing.

Soccer is big at the house, things like that. So same kind of situation. I'll introduce them to it as much as I can and see what they gravitate towards and from there I support them.

Q. Has Charles, seriously, has he ever said anything to you, like not an apology exactly or maybe I was wrong about --
STEPH CURRY: No, it's all TV. He's a great personality and knows how to get a headline. And sometimes you don't know if he's being real or not.

But every time I seen him off the grid, he's been great to my family, to me as well. So I take everything he says, literally everything he says, with a grain of salt. But he's a legend. And it's great for the game, obviously, with how much basketball is talked about and the hot takes that are flying around from day to day.

Q. As far as the offseason and free agency, are any teams catching up with the Warriors, in your opinion?
STEPH CURRY: It's not for me to answer. I'm really worried about, obviously, what we're doing at Golden State. I think it's great for the league. All the chances teams are taking, the moves that they're making, trying to get better.

And we were in that situation last year coming off of a loss, obviously. We had to find a way to get over the hump again and obviously made a move.

But we weren't on top last year and had to find a way to get there. So I know there's 29 other teams that had that same mentality, whether they were a lottery team or a playoff team or an actual championship contender -- every year is different, every year there's surprise teams, whatnot.

So it's going to be kind of weird to see all the new faces in different places. That's going to be -- every year that's kind of crazy. I think it's even more crazy now.

Q. Are you able to have fun this weekend with your new contract and being the new NBA champion again, or are you in competitive mode and having your juices flowing with your upcoming PGA event?
STEPH CURRY: I'm definitely able to have fun out here. I try to enjoy the moment, try to hit good shots. Every time I come up here on this mic, it's the weirdest thing talking in golf terms. I always laugh, "I'm just trying to hit fairways and greens and make some putts and see what part of my game's there. You just gotta stick with it. There's going to be some tough shots and tough holes out there, but if you stick with it the good things will happen."

No, I'm just trying to have fun and enjoy this atmosphere, because it's such a fun weekend, and I try not to take it too serious out on the course and psych myself out and just have fun. That's usually when I play my best basketball and golf.

So I'll try to have that approach and the tournament does a great job putting it on for us and treat us top-notch, and the fans are amazing. The energy is crazy. So it's going to be a great -- well obviously today and the next three days.

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