Stephen in Vegas

A last word on Vegas

Sporting News Today: Curry shot just 32.5 percent in summer league -- which wrapped up Sunday -- though scouts were impressed by his shooting form and leadership.

Davidson guys in the biz

NBA.com: D-league director of player personnel Chris Alpert was the architect behind the Select team, putting together a squad with the NBA and the careers of the players in mind. Alpert categorized it as a reward for those players who excelled and finished the season on D-League rosters.

End of summer league

The Warriors are done in Vegas. They won four of five. So-so stats from Stephen.

Also this:

At the conclusion of the Warriors/Hornets game, a crowd of kids gathers to try and get an autograph from Morrow. Morrow finishes with media and throws his jersey into the throng of kids, only to have them lunge at it and break the security barricade fighting for it. A younger fan desperately clutches the jersey while another fan struggles to rip it away from him.

While this scene is unfolding, I am interviewing Steph Curry and the two of us stop to watch what’s going on. We are both a little unsure of what to do to comfort the boy who is about to cry. Curry then stops the interview, goes over and gives the boy who lost out on the jersey his game-worn shoe.

(Thanks Austin.)

Chemistry

Anthony Randolph: “I love Stephen. He’s a great player and shooter as you can see he’s handled himself well.”

Something about him

SI’s Chris Mannix:

Two years ago, Gilbert Arenas told me he could tell if a player was going to be a superstar just by saying his name.

“Look at some of [the] names,” Arenas said. “Kobe Bryant. Tiger Woods. Anything with Michael in it. It’s like if you have a name like that, you’re automatically a star. O.J. Mayo, the kid hasn’t played one minute [in the NBA], but you already know he's going to be great.”

As I watched Warriors rookie Stephen Curry play here over the last few days at the NBA Summer League, Arenas’ words came back to me. Curry’s name isn’t exactly melodic, and it doesn’t tell me he’s going to be great -- but everything else about him does.

Still shooting

Matt Watson at FanHouse:

No one disputes that Stephen Curry was the best shooter taken in last month’s draft, but after four games, no one can make the claim that he’s the most consistent. He’s enjoyed a few hot streaks, but after a 3-for-15 performance from the field on Tuesday, he’s shooting just 31.4% from the field.

Despite the rough introduction to the NBA, Curry doesn’t seem to be losing confidence. He’s usually running the point when he’s in the game, and the Warriors have encouraged him to continue being aggressive looking for his shot, and he’s followed orders.

Thompson’s notebook. Thorpe: disappointing.

Rookie Radar

Art Garcia on NBA.com: The quick release brings to mind Ray Allen. Stephen Curry's father, Dell, wouldn’t be a bad comparison, either.

Our man Alpert

Talking D-League: “The more than 100 players on Summer League rosters are a true testament to the successes the NBA D-League has seen over the last eight years. It is extremely encouraging to look at these rosters and see players who took advantage of the NBA D-League to further their professional basketball careers.”

Stephen in Vegas

Game 3: not bad. Chron. Freep.

I’m glad I grew up in Charlotte because ...

Stephen: “I would have never known where Davidson was.”

We’ve seen this before

Tripp took this picture. Ann Arbor. First weekend of Stephen’s college career. Everyone who cares to know probably knows something about the circumstances: 13 turnovers against Eastern Michigan one night, 32 points against Michigan the next. Who knows what exactly McKillop is saying to his freshman shooting guard here but Tripp and Bro like to think it went something like this:

“Keep shooting.”

Thus beginneth and whatnot.

Anyway, right now is the first time I’ve opened my laptop since flying from Tampa to Denver Friday night, but I’ve been half-following the action in Vegas on the BlackBerry via Google Alerts and the occasional e-mail and text. I scanned the stats and the coverage off his first game with the Warriors and thought to myself: Interesting, but his second game will be more telling, because if I know Stephen ...

Here: 29 points, 27 after halftime, and quotes like this: “But he never dropped his head ...”

It’s hard not to think about Gonzaga, Georgetown, West Virginia, etc., etc., etc.

Claire sent an e-mail last night with a link, and also some words from the past, spoken on CBS on March 23, 2008:

“He’s not gonna stop shooting, I can assure you that, Jim.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t look like, he’s not hangin’ his head … Shots definitely not anywhere close to droppin’ like they were on Friday -- but he can still light it up with half the half to go…”

It’s the story

The kid gets it: “I think me playing three years in college and really making a story there opened the doors for me being welcomed a lot of places. People like to latch on to that story we made at Davidson ... ” Chron: “... the fervor around him stretches nationwide.” Standing O.

Stephen’s pro debut

Rockets-Warriors this afternoon in Vegas.

Summer league

Roster made official.

Next up: Vegas

NBA Summer League: Houston vs. Golden State on July 10. Schedule. Thompson blog.