Stephen Curry is instrumental in helping Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey get his groove in the team’s rotation this season.
After an impressive performance against the Phoenix Suns, Warriors center Charles Bassey has credited Curry for his breakout performance and offensive looks.
Charles Bassey Makes Most Of Stephen Curry’s Gravity
Bassey cited Curry’s gravity and how he manipulated defenses, allowing the Warriors center to get open looks and be as effective as any center on the team.
“I’m telling you, man, it’s great, man. Like I was telling GP (Gary Payton), I feel like every time I set the screen on Steph, I’m always wide-ass open, man. I’m always open,” he said.
“So, I mean, playing with him is fun, man. It’s fun because he gets you going. He gets you going, and he gets you little free buckets here and there. Like you said, man, I got a couple of free buckets with the screen and roll with him tonight, and so, it’s just fun playing with him, man. It’s fun. I love it.”
“I’m telling you, man, it’s great, man. Like I was telling GP, I feel like every time I set the screen on Steph, I’m always wide-ass open, man. I’m always open. So, I mean, playing with him is fun, man. It’s fun because
Bassey has delivered crucial, high-energy impact performances off the bench early in the 2026-2027 NBA season. Despite battling early knee soreness and patellar tendinitis, he has stepped up massively in the frontcourt to provide the rim protection, rebounding, and screen-rolling density the Warriors needed.
Bassey put together a career night in a thrilling 116-113 comeback win against the Suns. When veteran forward Draymond Green was ejected early in the third quarter, Bassey stepped seamlessly into the void, putting up a career-high 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist while shooting a highly efficient 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes.
He scored 10 points and pulled down 6 rebounds in the second half alone, providing a massive paint presence to guide the Warriors to victory.
Meanwhile, Curry delivered a game-high 34-point performance to lead the Warriors. The 38-year-old superstar played 33 minutes and carried the team on his back, anchoring a rally that erased a 17-point deficit.
Curry shot 9-of-21 from the field and sank 5 of his 13 attempts from three-point range. He was particularly explosive in the third quarter, where he scored 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting to shift the game’s momentum.
Charles Bassey Involved In Late Scuffle Against The Suns
Charles Bassey was involved in a physical, late-game altercation during the fourth quarter.
With 7:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, a physical rebound battle erupted beneath the basket. Following the play, Bassey kept his arms tightly wrapped around the head of Suns guard Jalen Green.
Reacting to the contact, Suns forward Miles Bridges rushed into the baseline area as a “physical escalator” and forcefully shoved Bassey. Security personnel and referees quickly stepped in to separate the players before the situation escalated further.
Bassey then called it just “fake toughness.”
“Sometimes, it’s fake toughness, you know, and I just got to make sure I’m in the game. Stay in the game and step on my team and just compose myself every time when that stuff is going on. So, like I said, man, me and Green got to it, man. But, I mean, just staying composed and just going to the next play, next play mentality. Just next play… It’s all fake toughness, man. It’s all fake toughness. It’s all fake toughness. You’re not doing that outside. It’s all fake toughness, man.”
For now, Bassey has shown he can be a dependable big for the Warriors. Much is now expected from him for the rest of the season.
Stephen Curry Helps Warriors Center Charles Bassey To Breakout