It is Thursday, June 25, 2009. The NBA Draft is prepared to be highlighted by the best college players from some elite programs around the nation — and one mid-major school with a sharpshooting point guard.
From Blake Griffin at No. 1 to Steph Curry at No. 7, the process of the 2009 NBA Draft is one that will go down in history. Griffin was taken first followed by Hasheem Thabeet, who spent just five years in the league. James Harden and Tyreke Evans went next before the Minnesota Timberwolves had two picks.
Minnesota had two chances to change the course of their franchise. The Wolves ended up taking two point guards but neither one named Curry. It began with Ricky Rubio, who was a highly-touted international prospect, before the abysmal pick of Jonny Flynn out of Syracuse. He spent just three years in the league playing in 163 games.
Over a decade later, the only team more upset than Minnesota is the New York Knicks. Watching pick after pick, the Knicks felt good about their chance of drafting the Davidson point guard. The Golden State Warriors pulled the trigger one pick before the Knicks. Madison Square Garden erupted with boo’s as the storyline was ruined for Knicks’ fans.
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Now, Curry has a chance to break Ray Allen’s record of three-pointers made in a career in the same building where he was drafted. The story has come full circle and like usual, the Knicks are on the opposite end.
The Golden State Warriors are expected to travel to New York to take on none other than the Knicks. The same Knicks that wanted Curry in 2009 and ended up with Jordan Hill instead. Curry is just two makes away from setting a new mark and officially taking his place as the best shooter of all-time.
It will be impossible for Knicks’ fans not to look back on this night in 2009. The team is beginning to fall apart after coming in with expectations. Kemba Walker has been moved to the bench and is just the next in line of failing point guards in New York. Curry coming back to town is just a reminder that the team had a franchise point guard in sights and fell short once again.
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This will not be the first time that Steph Curry lights up the Garden. Back in 2013, in a losing effort, Curry hung 54 on the Knicks going 18-for-28 from the field and 11-for-13 from three-point range. On Tuesday night, fans in attendance might get the chance to see a similar performance.
As if the Knicks need anymore insult to injury this season, they get to watch one of the best to ever do it set a record in their building — a player they could have had and missed out by the skin of their teeth.
Sometimes, storylines write themselves and make for incredible pieces of history. This is one of those moments and it will forever be remembered.
