The Golden State Warriors struck gold 16 years ago by drafting Stephen Curry.
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has had an unforgettable impact on the NBA since entering the league in 2009.
He played a key role in the rise of modern three-point shots. Curry is now one of the NBA’s faces, but it wasn’t the same when you submitted names for the 2009 NBA Draft.
In fact, the Davidson alumni fell to the seventh overall pick in the draft. Head down the Memory Lane and revisit the six players you have chosen before the baby’s face-to-face assassin.
Today, many players only spend one season in the NCAA before declaring the NBA draft. But for a small security guard like Curry, it was essential to hone his skills in college before he became an NBA response.
It’s no surprise that Steph spent three years in college before he thought he was ready for the league.
Curry became the Warriors midlottely pick, as it was the seventh overall pick in his class. But it’s safe to say Steph is surpassing all the draft day expectations the NBA team had from him.
After all, Curry is four-time NBA champions, NBA Finals MVPs, two-time NBA MVPs, 11th All-Stars, All-NBAs, and there’s even more records for his name. But what about the six players picking before him? Let’s take a look at the list.
| Draft Pic Number | Player name | team |
| 1 | Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2 | Hasheem Thabeet | The Memphis Grizzlies |
| 3 | James Harden | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 4 | Tyreke Evans | Sacramento Kings |
| 5 | Ricky Rubio | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 6 | Johnny Flynn | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 7 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
Things like James Harden and Blake Griffin are better prospects than Curry at the time of the draft, but there’s no doubt that the Warriors star is the most decorated and beloved player of their class.
Even after 16 years in the NBA, Curry continues to be one of the league’s top stars. He recently helped the Warriors reach the second round at the Western Conference.
But what about the player chosen before him? Here is a brief breakdown of the same thing:
| Player name | Where are they now? |
| Blake Griffin | From the league |
| Hasheem Thabeet | From the league |
| James Harden | LA Clippers’ starting point guard |
| Tyreke Evans | From the league |
| Ricky Rubio | From the league |
| Johnny Flynn | From the league |
Only one player remains in the NBA in 2025 from the six selected players prior to Curry. This is evidence of curry’s talent and longevity.
As of now, Curry has yet to drop any major tips on his retirement. And why should he be? After all, he’s averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game for the Warriors in the 2024-25 season.