Ann Killion:
Stephen Curry, above, and Warriors are back.
Didn’t we just see these guys? Weren’t they just pouring Champagne on each other in the Cleveland locker room? Riding on a double-decker bus on a gorgeous June day by Lake Merritt?
“It feels like the championship parade was last Tuesday,” center Andrew Bogut said. It was actually more than three months ago, but they’re back. Monday was Media Day for the Warriors, who begin practice Tuesday. And after an offseason that lasted a nanosecond, they’re ready to defend their title.
“We had a good summer, got away from the game, refreshed our minds,” Stephen Curry said. “I don’t think fatigue or a short summer will have any effect on us.”
If anyone should have some fa-
“We had a good summer, got away from the game, refreshed our minds.
I don’t think fatigue or a short summer will have any effect on us.”
Stephen Curry, Warriors guard and NBA MVP
tigue, it would be Curry, who not only played 3,439 minutes last season, won the league MVP and a title, but also had a jam-packed past three months.
What did Curry do? He signed a few deals, including an extension of his contract with Under Armour, getting an equity stake in the company. He took a trip to China, Japan and the Philippines with Under Armour, visiting several cities and losing a one-on-one game to a 12year-old girl. He appeared on television to talk with Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Rachael Ray and “Kelly and Michael.” He was at the ESPYs, the Kids’ Choice awards. He danced onstage at a Lecrae rap concert. He played golf with the president of the United States. He took the Larry O’Brien Trophy to his high school and his college in Charlotte, N.C. He went to teammate Andre Iguodola’s wedding celebration in Cabo San Lucas. He dunked a lot — there is video evidence.
And he also provided the correct answer when asked what his offseason highlight was.
“My daughter being born,” Curry said of the birth of Ryan Curry on July 10.
Of course it was. Other than the new baby, Curry said his top summer moment was playing golf with President Obama.
“That was a very cool experience,” Curry said. “To talk to him, to get to know him and learn from his experiences. To get a little look behind the scenes.”
Perhaps the most excruciating experience Curry had was dancing on stage at Oakland. While Riley Curry continues to go viral with her “whip and nae nae” dance moves, her father found it a little tougher.
“I have a newfound respect for performers and entertainers,” Curry said. “Four minutes up there felt like an eternity. I’ve only got a couple of dance moves and once I got through them, I didn’t know what to do.”
Through all the opportunities and awards, Curry continued to work out to try to get better.
“I want to try to be more explosive,” he said. “To create more space with the dribble, get stronger, hold my lines more, attack the basket. I’m going to be smarter. The key for me is to try to continue to make the best decision.”
To that end, Curry sounds enthused to work with Steve Nash, who is — in a case of the rich getting richer — coming on board as a “player development consultant.” Curry said he’s looking forward to “chopping it up with Coach Nash.”
“He’s a guy that can hopefully, as we watch film and talk, can maybe show me things I don’t see on the floor,” Curry said. “It’ll be fun to go out and have him show me what to work on.”
All of the Warriors expressed optimism that they had, in Draymond Green’s words, only “scratched the surface” last season. Curry pointed out that they were in their first season learning a new offense.
“There are layers to it,” Curry said. “We’re becoming more accustomed. The second year is when it can really take off. I like our chances.”
This being a Curry news conference, there was an obligatory Riley Curry question. She wasn’t there, stealing the show. She has been a great big sister.
“She still has the same loud personality that she showed everybody last year,” Curry said. When a reporter from China asked if Riley could make the trip next time, her father deferred to the 3-year-old’s wishes.
Last season was the longest in Warriors histo- ry. This should be another long one. The Warriors are not only hoping for another deep playoff run, but Curry is among the players who plans to be on the Olympic team in August in Rio de Janeiro. Bogut’s Australia team qualified last month. Curry and Klay Thompson are expected to make the U.S. team, and Green says he also wants to be there.
“I want to play,” Curry said. “I want to be on that team. The Olympics is a different experience, and I want to be a part of it. I’ll do my job for the Warriors and try to win a championship and then give it all I’ve got next summer to go to Rio.
“I want to take it one step at the time and not look ahead. But come July, I will be fully committed to that process.”
But for now, it’s time to jump back into the NBA flames.
“For us, mentally is going to be the biggest thing,” Curry said. “Keeping our hunger and fire as a group.”
And trying to stay fresh after a vacation that lasted a nanosecond.