“Thank God it didn’t happen” - Dell Curry grateful for the fact that the New York Knicks did not draft Steph Curry

Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors broke the NBA All-Time three-point record Tuesday, in Madison Square Garden. There could not have been a more special place than MSG to break the record with the history Curry has with New York.

Curry and his camp originally wanted Madison Square Garden to be his home as he entered the 2009 NBA Draft. When asked about it Monday night, Dell Curry explained that it was “Very true, very true, very true”.

Even Steph Curry himself has explained in the past:

“I wanted to go to New York and thought I was going to New York,”

So how did Steph Curry make it to Golden State?

With the draft happening in favor of the Warriors’ plan, Steph Curry ended up being available at Golden State’s No. 7 pick. Don Nelson, then coach of the team, went against the wishes of Steph’s father Dell and picked Curry before the Knicks could.

When speaking with Don Nelson before the draft, Dell Curry explained:

“No, we’d rather you not take him if he’s there because we have another place we’d like him to be (meaning New York)."

Steph Curry committed to writing his own narrative on the sport no matter where he ended up, and proved that to his father. Dell came full circle when asked about the New York Knicks not getting Curry, his father explains:

“Thank God it didn’t happen”

Stephen Curry's 3P shooting in 11 career games at Madison Square Garden:

🎯 0-0 (11/13/09)
🎯 1-1 (11/10/10)
🎯 11-13 (2/27/13)
🎯 5-11 (2/28/14)
🎯 5-9 (2/7/15)
🎯 3-10 (2/15/15 - ASG)
🎯 3-11 (1/31/16)
🎯 5-13 (3/5/17)
🎯 4-9 (2/26/18)
🎯 6-11 (10/26/18)
🎯 7-14 (2/23/21) https://t.co/pV6QOxIoAi

Though it may seem like a slam against the Knicks, it most definitely is not. If Steph Curry had landed on the Knicks they would have had arguably the same opportunities at runs for the championship with Chef Curry cooking as he did.

His father Dell is simply just happy with all of the accomplishments Steph has managed over the years with the squad he has. Many opportunities arose for the young star because of the hunger the Warriors head office had in grabbing him. That tenacity from the top end bleeds into your players and gives rookies the confidence they need going forward. Golden State outpoured that confidence into Curry.

As the years passed since the conversation, confidence most definitely grew, racking up accolades such as:

3x NBA Champion
1st All time in 3-pointers made in NBA history
2x NBA MVP with the only unanimous MVP selection in league history
7x NBA All-Star
7x All-NBA Selection
6x NBA three-point leader
4x NBA free-throw percentage leader
2x Scoring leader
2x NBA Three-Point Contest champion
1x NBA steals leader
NBA regular season record for made three-pointers (402)
NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single playoffs (98 – tied with Klay Thompson)
NBA Finals record for most three-pointers made in a game (9)
NBA record for most consecutive regular season games with a made three-pointer (157)
NBA record for most consecutive playoff games with a made three-pointer (112)
NBA record for most 10 plus three pointer games in the regular season (22)
NBA record for most points scored in an overtime period (17)
Warriors franchise leader in Points, Assists, three’s made, Assists in playoffs, three-point’s made in Playoffs, steals in Playoffs, points in Playoffs

Let's not forget that Curry’s longest standing career high came during a Knicks game in 2012-13 when he scored 54 points. Yet to be an All-Star, the young Steph Curry dropped a whopping 11 threes amongst his performance. Steph has explained to the New York Times, that he considers this game to be his “coming out party” to becoming the legendary shooter he is today. Steph Curry did not beat that until 2020-21 season, scoring 62 on Portland.

With all of the history between Steph and Madison Square Garden, it could not be more fitting of a spot for Curry to cap off his three-point king status. Returning almost nine years after his 54-point performance, Steph Curry has come full circle, maintaining greatness every step of the way.

If Steph Curry plays 50 more games this season and maintains his current average, he'll have 3,242 career 3s.

Since 2015, he's averaged 4.8 makes per game.

If he does that for 5 more years while playing 72 games each season, he'll be at 4,970.

5,000 is absolutely within reach.

Dell Curry said:

“Of course I knew my sons had the talent to be NBA players … but I did not know Steph would be a two-time MVP and three-time world champion.”

The Curry family enjoyed Steph Curry's moment of greatness at the mecca of basketball. They will all be hoping he reaches greater heights and sets an insurmountable target before he finally hangs up his boots.