“First time I saw him play, it was an NCAA first-round game against Gonzaga, some players just have that aura” - Scott Pruneau recalls his first impression of Steph Curry
With Steph Curry taking over as the NBA's career 3-point leader Tuesday, his ascension to legendary status has been solidified. The point guard is a favorite to snatch the 2022 MVP award, and his Golden State Warriors share the NBA's best record.
Scott Pruneau, the former Warriors director of scouting, reflected on his first impression of the three-time NBA champion on the 95.7 The Game show hosted by Steiny and Guru. He said he first met Steph Curry at a first-round NCAA Tournament game, when he led Davidson against Gonzaga in March 2008.
"First time I saw him play, it was the aura around him," Pruneau said. "It was his sophomore year, it was an NCAA first-round game against Gonzaga. If you've been around that a long time, you know players like this have this aura about them when you walk in. That's what he had, and he did not disappoint in those two games."
"First time I saw him play, it was an NCAA first-round game against Gonzaga. Some players just have that aura."
Former #Warriors Director of Scouting Scott Pruneau reflecting on his initial impression of Stephen Curry.
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Curry scored 40 points, including 30 in the second half as Davidson overcame an 11-point deficit to win its first NCAA Tournament game since 1969. That performance, in which Curry swished 8 of 10 3-point shots, and Davidson's run to the Elite Eight firmly put the son of NBA player Dell Curry in the national spotlight.
Pruneau also discussed scouting Curry ahead of the 2009 draft. Golden State chose Curry with the seventh overall pick in 2009. Pruneau said he didn't know Curry was destined for greatness, but he knew he was good.
"I'm not going to sit here and lie and say I thought he was going to be as great as he is," Pruneau said. "But I knew he was gonna be good, because his aura, capability to shoot the ball and his competiveness. When you work hard and you put the time in the gym and you've talent, you're always going to succeed."
Steph Curry's relationship and role with the Golden State Warriors
In Curry's debut season for the Warriors, he featured in most games and recorded the most starts on the roster. His playmaking skills were evident as he led the team in assists per game.
He made his first appearance in the NBA playoffs in the 2012-13 season under Mark Jackson. But the Warriors crashed out of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. The following year, he was selected for his first All-Star game.
The franchise won three championships before Curry was drafted in 2009. The Philadelphia Warriors won the Baskeball Association of America title in 1947 and the NBA title in 1956. After spending 1962-71 as the San Francisco Warriors, the franchise got its third title in 1975 as the Golden State Warriors.
Thereafter, they suffered a drought for 39 years, until hiring Steve Kerr as coach in 2014. That season (2014-15), Curry scored a career-high 28.3 points per game in the playoffs to help the Warriors clinch their fourth title.
Five straight Finals
Three NBA titles
Two MVP's
and he's not done yet.
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With his leadership, the Warriors went on to secure a fifth and sixth title in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
This season looks promising after two injury-plagued years that had Golden State missing the playoffs. And their headliner Steph Curry continues to blaze a trail.