Stephen Curry in Toronto

deception · Mar 14, 2010

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baske...en-curry-s-skills-evident-in-his-toronto-days

OAKLAND–Micah Nori remembers a sunny southern California day almost a decade ago when it first became apparent there was something unique about Stephen Curry.

Nori was early in his Raptors coaching career, a behind-the-bench development assistant on Butch Carter's staff, on that day and Curry was a pre-teen taking in a road trip with his dad, Dell.

They were hanging out, getting up some shots at an outdoor court near the Raptors' team hotel when some locals came by.

"We were in Marina Del Ray ... and myself, Danny Aning (a former team employee) and Stephen were shooting around and there were three other guys who were there and we played them," Nori recalled Saturday. "(Curry) was about 11 years old, we're playing against guys who were 18, 19 and he was our go-to guy in the game and we won.

"That's when we knew he was going to be something special."

Curry, who cut his basketball teeth in the Raptors practice gym while his dad was playing for Toronto, is one of the hottest rookies in the NBA, a sweet-shooting swingman averaging 16 points for the Golden State Warriors.

He's still got the same slight build, packing 185 pounds (a liberal estimation by looking at him) on a 6-foot-3 frame, but he's also got that same sweet Curry shooting stroke.

The joke around the Raptors in those glory days of Curry's tenure was that the most picture-perfect form in the gym was Dell's, but the second didn't belong to any other NBAer, it belonged to Stephen.

"It helps to have that kind of experience," Curry said before the Warriors faced the Raptors on Saturday night. "It's a lot different when you're going through the grind of an NBA season yourself, that goes without saying, but I think it's definitely a benefit to be around players like Alvin Williams, like Vince Carter when he was there and see how they handled themselves on a day-to-day basis. I can just have a little leg up in my first year and feel comfortable here."

But Curry, who went to tiny Davidson University and led the unheralded school to repeated March Madness berths, seems to have one edge over his dad. While fans marvel at the quick, textbook release on his shot, his playmaking ability takes some by surprise.

"I think he's been great," Toronto coach Jay Triano said. "I think his ability to adapt to the NBA game has surprised a lot of people.

"He's been able to adjust to the quickness. Any time you can shoot, you're a threat and because of that ability, he's made himself more of a well-rounded player because you have to get out and guard him. Now he can make plays."

Curry also dishes out an average of 5.4 assists – leading Golden State in that category – prompting speculation that the Warriors might want to move guard Monta Ellis and bequeath running of the offence to the rookie.

"Everybody thinks of him as a shooter because his dad was like that, but he's such a better playmaker," Nori said. "Not that his dad wasn't, but his dad was more catch-and-shoot. Stephen can really make plays with the ball."

Plays he learned after practices and before games at the Air Canada Centre, never really thinking it would become his career.

"Actually, I hadn't made a decision that basketball was what I wanted to pursue as a career full-time at that point. I made that decision when I got back to the States, my ninth grade year," Curry said.

"It was fun to envision myself playing in a real NBA game when I was that young, especially going to practice and playing against the active players, but I never thought I'd turn around and be in this kind of situation."
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AlleyOop · Mar 15, 2010

oh, btw he also TORCHED it on Saturday night against Toronto, 35pts and 10 asts, 6 rebs, 4 steals, 5-8 from three. The kid looks like a Nash/CP3 hybrid. Damn he's special.

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