What Happened To The 6 Players Drafted Before Steph Curry

When you think of Stephen Curry today, images of deep threes, jaw-dropping handles, and championship parades come to mind. But what’s often forgotten—or misunderstood—is how badly misjudged Curry was early in his career. Before he was the face of a basketball revolution, five teams passed on him in the NBA Draft, and countless scouts dismissed him as “too small” and “too frail.”

This is the story of how the NBA nearly missed its most game-changing player.

A Star in the Making

As the son of NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Steph was raised in a basketball-rich environment. From shooting on NBA courts as a kid to brushing shoulders with league legends, he seemed born for the game. By high school, Curry was a standout at Charlotte Christian, shooting nearly 50% from three and leading his team to multiple championships.

Yet, Division I schools weren’t convinced.

Despite his pedigree, production, and shooting ability, Curry didn’t receive any major D1 offers. Not even Virginia Tech—his father’s alma mater—would offer him a scholarship. Why? He was “too small,” “too skinny,” and his jumper, at the time, looked more like a heave than a stroke. So he went to Davidson College, the only school that genuinely believed in him.

The Davidson Explosion

At Davidson, Curry quickly silenced doubters. He averaged 21.2 points per game as a freshman and would eventually become the NCAA scoring leader. But it was March Madness 2008 where he truly exploded onto the national stage.

In one of the most thrilling underdog runs in college basketball history, Curry led 10-seed Davidson to the Elite Eight, knocking off giants like Gonzaga and Georgetown with scoring performances of 30 and 40+ points. By the time Davidson narrowly lost to the eventual champion Kansas, Curry had captivated the nation—and caught the eyes of NBA scouts.

The 2009 NBA Draft: The Misfire Heard Around the League

Despite his college dominance, Curry entered the 2009 NBA Draft surrounded by doubts. Analysts weren’t sold. He was listed at 6’2″, 160 pounds, and still viewed as a one-dimensional shooter without elite athleticism or size.

Here’s how the draft unfolded:

Clippers (1st overall) – Took Blake Griffin, an obvious choice at the time. Fair.
Grizzlies (2nd) – Selected Hasheem Thabeet, a 7’2″ defensive prospect who’d be out of the league in a few years.
Thunder (3rd) – Drafted James Harden, who went on to become a league MVP. Another fair pick.
Kings (4th) – Took Tyreke Evans, who would win Rookie of the Year but never reached star status.
Timberwolves (5th and 6th) – Drafted Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn, two point guards… and passed on Curry. Not once, but twice.

Minnesota’s decision remains one of the biggest draft mistakes in NBA history. Even more baffling, Curry’s agent Jeff Austin reportedly warned the Timberwolves against drafting him, citing Curry’s desire to avoid small markets and even joking about how Curry, an avid golfer, wouldn’t enjoy Minnesota’s cold weather.

Then came pick No. 7…

Golden State’s Gamble

Despite internal conflict and another scoring guard already on the roster (Monta Ellis), the Golden State Warriors pulled the trigger and drafted Stephen Curry. Initially, Ellis questioned the move, stating:

“Us in the backcourt? No. Can’t. Just can’t.”

But as history would prove, they could—and did, at least until Ellis was traded to give Curry the reins. Even then, Golden State wasn’t considered a desirable destination. Curry’s team was floundering, and after ankle injuries plagued his early seasons, critics began labeling him as injury-prone and one-dimensional.

A $44 million contract over four years—which now seems laughably low—was seen as risky due to his “glass ankles.”

From Undervalued to Unstoppable

What followed was one of the most dramatic and transformative careers the NBA has ever seen.

Curry rebuilt his body from the ground up, strengthening his ankles and refining his game.
The Warriors, now built around his skillset, emerged as a juggernaut.
He led the team to four NBA championships and six Finals appearances.
He won two MVPs, including the league’s only unanimous MVP in 2016.
And he sparked a revolution.

When Curry entered the league in 2009, NBA teams averaged just 18 three-point attempts per game. Today? Over 35 per game, largely due to his influence. His deep shooting range has transformed spacing, pace, and the way young players learn the game.

The Butterfly Effect of Belief

Looking back, many of the doubts surrounding Curry were rooted in short-sighted evaluations: too small, too skinny, too dependent on his jumper. But what those analysts failed to see was his work ethic, his IQ, his mentality, and his ability to completely alter the geometry of the game.

It’s easy to call teams out in hindsight. But what Curry has done isn’t just rare—it’s unprecedented.

He’s not just an NBA champion.
He’s not just the greatest shooter of all time.