"It's on me to maintain that culture" - Stephen Curry talks about staying with Golden State Warriors for the rest of his career
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors finished as the 8th seed in the 2020-21 NBA season with an above .500 record (39-33) but still didn't make the NBA playoffs because they squandered both their play-in tournament games.
The front office faced heavy scrutiny for not surrounding the three-time champion with a decent supporting cast despite Curry putting up another MVP-calibre season. It fueled rumors that his time in the Bay Area was over and he wouldn't be signing an extension.
However, Stephen Curry put all the speculation to rest when he agreed to sign a four-year $215 million deal with the Golden State Warriors. It made him the only player in NBA history to sign a $200 million contract twice in a career.
Stephen Curry: A Golden State Warrior for life
It is an understatement to say that Stephen Curry is the most important player in Golden State Warriors' franchise history. The sniper was drafted by the franchise in 2009 and has remained with the team ever since. At the time of his selection, the team was valued near $400 million. After back-to-back MVPs, sellout crowds and five consecutive NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors are now worth $4.7 billion.
Stephen Curry took the franchise to where it is today. He has changed the game of basketball with his long-distance sharpshooting which has put the Golden State Warriors on the map. At 33, he is now the franchise's leading scorer after passing the legendary Wilt Chamberlain in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Stephen Curry holds several Warriors records and there is no doubt in anyone's mind that his No. 30 jersey will one day hang in the Chase Center rafters.
Curry spoke about his rise within the Golden State Warriors and signing the $215 million deal, saying:
"It's dope to think about what has all transpired in the last 12 years...where we currently are and what we're trying to do with this championship window that we have. Thinking about being in the Bay for another five years, taking me to 38, it checks all the boxes in terms of what I'm trying to do with my career."
Stephen Curry has mentioned following in the footsteps of Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and several other athletes who stuck with one team for their entire career and gave their everything to their city. As of 2021, he is the longest-tenured player on any NBA franchise.
Curry signing the four-year extension essentially tells us that he signs off on all the moves the Golden State Warriors have made. He publicly said he loves their draft picks, even though they don't necessarily match the timeline of a championship.
For Stephen Curry, staying loyal to a franchise and retiring as a legend in the Bay Area is more valuable than chasing titles elsewhere. He spoke about the extension and how it has more personal and sentimental value, something far too valuable to walk away from.
"It's one of those things where you set your priority list on how you want to go about it and what's really important...That takes some time to really identify. Once you do, for me at least, all those other kind of fantasies about playing somewhere else, whatever squad it would be with and who it would be with, kind of goes out the door knowing the culture that we built here. So it's on me to maintain that culture," said Curry.
Stephen Curry is easily one of the most influential players of the last decade and has inspired players who don't have the genetic advantage that they too can be great if they put in the work. The two-time MVP has started a movement and culture far larger than himself and when he retires. Curry will be remembered as the man who changed basketball and one of the last loyal superstars in the NBA.
Also Read: NBA Draft Results 2021: Who did the Golden State Warriors pick? Here's the full list of selections