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NBA ALL-STAR 2018

February 17, 2018

Stephen Curry

Los Angeles, California

Q. Would you say the 2015-16 season is when the Warriors played their best basketball? Is that the best you felt?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's hard to argue with a 24-0 start and 73 wins. Coming off a championship the previous year, obviously we didn't get it done in The Finals that year, but I think to sustain that over 82 games was pretty remarkable.

Every year is different. I think you can fall in love with the 73 number and not really think game by game did we play our best? Probably not. But we got wins. We found ways to kind of claw our way to the top in most of those games. But last year we won the championship. We had a different type of journey, but I felt really great about it. This year we've had a pretty solid season, but feel that we can play a lot better. So that's what we're trying to do this next 20 games before another championship run.

Q. When did you play your best game by game, would you say?
STEPHEN CURRY: I don't know. I was just looking at the overall last four years in general. We've kind of set a standard of excellence in the league. That's pretty cool to think about sustaining that high level of play for so long.

Q. You haven't been an underdog much lately. You're an underdog tomorrow night. Does that give you a little chip on your shoulder, considering how everybody's telling you how great Team LeBron is?
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, I love it. It kind of takes me back to where we were four or five years ago, where I was personally. So I'm looking forward to the game. It's going to be a pretty cool vibe to have the teams that we do and the different mixes and matchups in the lineup and whatnot.

I've heard a lot of chatter about the names that LeBron has on his team and whatnot, but I feel like we have the best team, the best shooting team. And we've got a coach that's catered to our roster pretty well. So it should be fun.

Q. Is there more pride on the line for you considering the team is Team Curry?
STEPHEN CURRY: Oh, 100%. It's not the Western or Eastern Conference. It's Team Steph and Team LeBron. So hopefully my team comes out on top.

Q. What is the impact of black history on your story?
STEPHEN CURRY: The people that have sacrificed, made bold steps to open the door for guys like me, guys like the majority of NBA players in the league. Just to even have the opportunity to play this game at the level that we do and use it as a way to impact our communities as we go forward. That means a lot.

So to celebrate that journey, to celebrate black excellence and black history, I think that's amazing. We have an amazing opportunity to push that message and use our platforms for good.

Q. What was your thought when you heard what that anchor said about LeBron should just shut up and dribble?
STEPHEN CURRY: Surprising because of how blunt it was, how aggressive and just out of line it was. But not surprising because I've heard that plenty of times before, and that's a tone that people kind of try to put athletes and black athletes in a box, to say basketball is the only thing you can provide in this world.

Obviously very upsetting, and I think the way that we handle the response is to highlight all the good that we're doing, LeBron included, KD included, every single NBA athlete here that plays this game. That's not all that we're about. It's not all that we contribute to this world.

There are guys that are going out, putting resources and funds and raising awareness in the community, trying to make the world a better place through what we do. That's not all we're about. Surprising, but that's the tone that's kind of in our country right now, which is very upsetting.

Q. What about the tragedy in Florida? What is your take on the tragedy in Florida?
STEPHEN CURRY: A senseless crime and tragedy. A lot has been said about what needs to happen in our country to change. The safety around our school systems across the world, and for me as a parent of two daughters that go to school every single day, it just makes you think even more.

There is so much talk that's been happening or that's not been happening around changing gun control laws and things like that. So I don't know how many more examples or cases we need to prove that point. So hopefully that does change.

Obviously we're thinking about the families down there that are affected, and we're praying for them as well.

Q. How do all of these all stars shape your perspective?
STEPHEN CURRY: It just gives me a perspective around what I do for a living, an appreciation for being on this stage. It motivates me to keep working hard so I can be back here every year.

I just enjoy the honor and opportunity to lace up my shoes with 23 of the best players in the NBA in a showcase for the fans. Pretty special opportunity.

I think it was surreal, the first time I got to be an All-Star, in 2014 in New Orleans, and I don't think that feeling has changed much since then these last five years. So definitely appreciative.

Q. Is it more about fun and relaxing, or this time because of the new format, like Team LeBron against you, Steph Curry, do you think it's going to be more competition?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's both. Like I said, it's the All-Star break. So we want to try to refresh our minds and bodies. It's been a long season so far. We've got the most important time coming up.

But obviously with the new format I think it just adds a little different vibe around the All-Star Game. Should be a little bit more competitive, a little bit more intense on the court tomorrow.

And there is a lot at stake from a pride standpoint. It's not just the Western Conference or Eastern Conference anymore. It's Team Steph versus Team LeBron. So, I obviously want to win.

Q. Do you ever watch Messi play in Barcelona?
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah. Who doesn't watch him? Is that a question?

Q. Can you kind of feel or see yourself as somewhat comparable, not being the strongest athlete on the court, but with really great, huge amount of ability that defies in some way the prototypical player of their sport?
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, I think it's the creative genius to what he does and a flair, but also there is a fundamental aspect to the flair. The work that he puts in, I'm assuming, based on the talent that he has, and combining that with the talent that he has and how that kind of shows when he's out there on the pitch, right?

So I think there's a lot of comparison, really, around the creativity and the innovation that we bring to our respective sports and trying to, I guess, impact -- I would say influence the next generation to try to push themselves as well.

Q. Who would be on your team if you picked a golf All-Star team?
STEPHEN CURRY: If I picked a golf All-Star team, I'll do a foursome since we're talking golf. I mean, obviously, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, I got to put Tiger in there, and my favorite player, besides Tiger growing up, was Vijay Singh, so I'd put him in there too. I try to pick current players. Historical, that's a different conversation, I guess.

Q. On Leandro Barbosa:
STEPHEN CURRY: Besides what he does on the court, his layup package, I call it, he was my favorite player to see finish at the rim with his creativity around the rim and whatnot.

Besides all that, he was like -- what's that movie, "Police Academy," where the dude had all the sound effects and whatnot? That's Leandro. He can make the craziest sound effects I've ever heard in my entire life. He sent me a video probably two weeks ago when we were playing Boston, and he was somewhere watching the game, and he starts making this like high-pitch thing on the phone and the video and going crazy, celebrating our win.

So he loves life, man. That energy was contagious when he was with us.

Q. Best NBA dunk of all time?
STEPHEN CURRY: In-game or dunk contest?

Q. In-game and dunk, both. Best of all time?
STEPHEN CURRY: Vince jumping over the 7-footer in -- was that the Olympics or the World Championship or Olympics? For Team USA, yeah.

Q. Best dunker of all time?
STEPHEN CURRY: See, that's a tough one because there's in-game and dunk contests. Those are two totally different things. So the best in-game dunker, oh, Dominique, probably. And the best dunk contest, that's Vince too. That was the best one I think I've seen.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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