Oakland is the only home Steph Curry has known since he came into the NBA as a 21-year-old in 2009.
But starting next year, Curry and the Warriors will call San Francisco home. The team hopes to send The Town and Oracle Arena out with one last bang in June before moving into the Chase Center.
In the latest issue of SLAM, Curry, his friends and several Warriors fans paid tribute to Oakland. During the interview, Curry was asked if he had a message for the people of Oakland.
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“Personally, I thank Oakland for embracing me as one of their own, for giving me a new home, for giving me a sense of pride and something to play for,” Curry told SLAM.
Curry opened up to the magazine about his first impressions of Oakland after moving there from North Carolina.
“It was definitely a culture shock for sure,” Curry said. “How fast things move, how vibrant the city is and just how beautiful the city is, too.”
But now, 10 years later?
Golden State Warriors
“This is our new home. I really don’t feel like we’re ever going to leave this area," Curry said. "And that’s something that 20 years ago … I never would’ve thought this would be where I’d end up.”
Curry and the Warriors are aiming to send Oakland out with four championships in five seasons and three in a row. The competition is getting stiffer, but it's a challenge they are embracing.
“Going into a season with what we have on our team, a championship is what you focus on," Curry said. "But this year, it makes it a little bit more focused and more special in terms of understanding what is at stake. Trying to win three in a row and this is our last season in Oakland, playing in front of the fans there at Oracle Arena.”