When it comes to respect around the league, there are not many NBA players going right now who can compete with Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Part of it is the point guard’s historically unmatched play on the court, which has changed the way an entire generation of players approach the game, and the way an entire generation of coaches and general managers strategize around it. But despite his status as the league’s most prominent unicorn (as in there isn’t another like him), Curry may be even more unique behind the scenes.
Former teammate Andre Iguodala on Wednesday, July 14 joined The Old Man and The Three podcast, hosted by JJ Reddick and Tommy Alter, during which he provided details about Curry’s day-in and day-out behavior in relation to both his teammates and the organization.
“He doesn’t want any special treatment,” Iguodala said of Curry. “He doesn’t ask for anything.”
DeMarcus Cousins Was Floored by Curry’s Character, Iggy Says
GettyFormer Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins was shocked by the way Curry comported himself with everyone in the organization.
Iguodala went on to tell Reddick and Alter that while he respected the way Curry handles his business, other teammates were simply in awe of it — namely DeMarcus Cousins.
“DeMarcus Cousins, when he was with us, there was one random day where he (asked Curry) ‘Yo, are you real?'” Iguodala said. “Steph was like, ‘What are you talking about?'”
“And (Cousins) was like, ‘Bro, you’re the best player in the league, you don’t get mad about anything? You don’t ask for anything?'”
Curry is a Different Kind of Superstar
GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry reacts after passing Wilt Chamberlain on the teams all-time scoring list during an April game against the Denver Nuggets.
The age of player empowerment is upon the league, and it is not going anywhere. The stories of special privileges abound, from LeBron James’ crew traveling with the Cleveland Cavaliers on road trips to the Los Angeles Clippers delaying takeoff of their private team jet to coordinate with Kawhi Leonard’s commute from his home in San Diego to LA.
Author Matt Sullivan, in his tell-all book titled Can’t Knock the Hustle: Inside the Season of Protest, Pandemic, and Progress with the Brooklyn Nets’ Superstars of Tomorrow, asserts that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving more or less run the entire Nets organization. And it is a reasonable assumption that former MVP James Harden, now a member of that team, has an equal say of his own.
And there is nothing wrong with players controlling where they play and having a say in the culture and teammates that surround them. But Curry doesn’t need to lean or flex on anyone to accomplish that in Golden State.
The two-time NBA MVP is already heavily involved the Warriors offseason decision-making process, which will likely determine the shape of the team for the rest of Curry’s career. He is also reportedly on the brink of becoming the first player in league history to sign a second $200 million-plus contract, both of which will have been with the Warriors.
At least some of that is owed to the kind of person Curry is at his core and the superstar’s ability to build relationships with everyone around him. Both Iguodala and Cousins recognized that when they played with Curry.
“DeMarcus was like, ‘You’re an incredible person. This is dope. Every superstar I’ve been around is, like, I need this and I need that,'” Iguodala said.
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Former Teammates Say Curry is ‘Different’ Behind the Scenes