On Thursday, footage of a young Steph Curry receiving praise from the legendary and late Kobe Bryant began circulating online again after Curry discussed the incident in March on the “Point Forward” program with Warriors colleague Andre Iguodala and co-host Evan Turner.
The Warriors played the LA Lakers inside Oracle Arena in Curry’s first season with the team.
Steph Curry Lives By His Words
During the final period, the Lakers great sat on the bench to recuperate while Curry tried to cut the Warriors’ deficit to a manageable size.
According to Curry’s podcast confession, even though his team was behind by 12 points, he kept playing. The player said, “[I] hit a transitional three, went back to hit some little reverse layup and I hit a backward step off of the glass.”
But he had no idea that a spectator was watching from the opposing team’s dugout.
Steph Curry would never forget what Bryant said to Lakers center Adam Morrison.
Then, as Curry recalled, “he moved on to speak well about silent raw talent.” He saw it in my eyes and the way I carried myself, and he respected and acknowledged it, so I know it does not have to be ‘rah-rah’ screaming trash in your face. That, for me, was the proverbial icing on the cake. I always possessed it, but playing in the league against the greatest of the greatest is on a whole other level.
Curry, a four-time NBA champion, has not only kept Bryant’s remarks in mind but has used them as a guiding principle throughout his career.