Report: Stephen Curry will be named NBA Most Valuable Player
By Phil Watson
According to a report, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry will be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
More from Golden State Warriors
- Grade the Trade: Warriors become title-favs in proposed deal with Raptors
- 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
- New detail about title-costing mistake reopens old wounds for Warriors
- 5 NBA players facing do-or-die 2023–2024 seasons
- 7 Harsh realities of the Golden State Warriors offseason
Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com reported Sunday that an official announcement is likely to come Monday—between Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
However, the announcement could be held until the break between Games 2 and 3.
Curry would become the first Warrior to win the league’s top individual honor since the franchise moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco in 1962 and just the second player in franchise history to be named.
Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors was named MVP in 1959-60.
Curry was the leading vote-getter for the 2015 All-Star Game, making his second consecutive start in the midseason showcase. He was sixth in the NBA with 23.8 points per game and 7.7 assists per game and finished fourth with 2.0 steals per game and 44.3 percent accuracy from 3-point range.
He was also the top free-throw shooter in the NBA at 91.4 percent and his 48.7 percent overall shooting was the best among NBA point guards.
James Harden of the Houston Rockets reportedly finished second in the voting.
The Warriors finished with the best record in the NBA at 67-15—setting a new franchise record for wins and winning percentage.
Curry, 27, just completed his sixth season in the NBA and set new a single-season NBA record by knocking down 286 3-pointers, breaking his own record of 272 set in 2012-13.
The seventh-overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Warriors out of Davidson, Curry was a first-team all-rookie selection in 2009-10 after averaging 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on .462/.437/.885 shooting.
But after leading the league in free-throw shooting at 93.4 percent and averaging 18.6 points per game in 2010-11, Curry missed much of the lockout shortened 2011-12 season after offseason surgery to reattach torn ligaments.
Live Feed
Blue Man Hoop
He reinjured it and played much of the season at less than 100 percent.
The Warriors are seeking their fourth title in franchise history, yet if they do win the championship this year, Curry would be the first to be named MVP during a title run.
There was no MVP award when the Philadelphia Warriors won the championship in 1946-47. For their second title in 1955-56, Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks beat out runner-up Paul Arizin of the Warriors to win the first-ever NBA MVP award.
After moving to California, Golden State won the title in 1974-75, but it was Buffalo Braves center Bob McAdoo who was named MVP. Warriors’ star forward Rick Barry finished fourth.
Curry finished sixth in the MVP voting last season.
Next: 50 Greatest NBA Players Of The 1970s
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout