Getty Images Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
When things go bad, there’s a saying that hindsight is 20/20. People tend to look back at what could have been when things go awry.
This is not the case for the Golden State Warriors. After just wrapping up another title, they have now won four titles over the past eight seasons, a feat that is spectacular in any professional sport.
Steph Curry got off to a slow start through his first couple of seasons, because of the myriad amount of ankle injuries he suffered.
Earlier last month on the Draymond Green Show, Curry talked with Green about his career and touched on the point when he signed his $44 million four-year extension back in 2012.
“Signed the most favorable contract in possibly NBA history, in terms of everything it allowed us to do those next four years,” Curry said while laughing. “It was a blessing in disguise.”
It was a blessing indeed, as his team-friendly contract allowed the team to retain all their stars, and make maneuvers that allowed them to contend. Curry’s ascent into an MVP-level player after the extension further prolonged the Warriors’ window to stay competitive. Kevin Durant would never have been able to sign with the Dubs had Curry not signed his cheap extension back in 2014.
Curry Keeps Things in Perspective in Regards to Money Made
As we know, Curry is not built like most people. A lot would be fuming over the amount of money he lost earlier in his career.
“Let’s keep perspective here: $44 million over four years. More money than my pops had ever made in the league, because I had been around the league for 16 years watching my dad play,” he said on the Draymond Green Show [H/T to Insider]. “I know how far the league has grown [since] when he played. That’s good money. Support my family. Got a lot of security. I just wanna be healthy. Let’s just focus on that, not what you’re leaving on the table.”
Curry presents a good point here. While $44 million in the league for a star is not considered to be a lot, it still is a ton of money for most people, including any player in the league that played over a decade ago. Keeping things in perspective was vital to Curry, and it helped him create a mindset to not always go for the biggest pot but to see what other opportunities and options that short-term sacrifices could lead to.
Curry admitted this ‘bet on yourself’ mindset helped push him to leave Nike to join Under Armour. He wanted to build something from scratch and see what he could do to cultivate and build something from the bottom up.
Curry Makes More Now Each Year Than the $44 Million Extension
Things worked out for the best shooter in history, as Curry probably is not thinking twice about that initial extension he signed earlier in his career.
Just this past season, Curry pocketed over $45 million, and each year after will continue to ascend higher. After signing a four-year extension worth more than $215 million last offseason, he is set to make almost $60 million at the age of 37 according to Spotrac.
Combined with his humble demeanor and his shooting acumen, Curry is a one-of-one star that is a generational talent. Not many superstars will be willing to swallow their egos and play with other stars or have a personality that is super adaptable to play with others.