"We had a rough year" - How Curry viewed his rookie season with the Warriors

“We had a rough year” – How Curry viewed his rookie season with the Warriors originally appeared on Basketball Network.

When you think of Stephen Curry today, long-range threes, MVP trophies and NBA championships come to mind. But his journey to become one of the greatest players of all time wasn’t so easy. During an 2010 interview for SLAM magazine, after his rookie season, Curry didn’t hold back about the struggles.

“We had a rough year,” he said with a chuckle during the interview — a modest way to describe the growing pains that defined the start of his journey with the Golden State Warriors.

Indeed, Curry had a rough year, but what rookie doesn’t? The way he bounced back and improved is why he is considered one of the greatest of all time.

The Warriors’ struggles

When Curry entered the league as the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Warriors were not the powerhouse they would later become. The team was coming off years of disappointing results. Head coach Don Nelson was nearing the end of his time with the Dubs, and the roster lacked chemistry and a winning mentality.

“I’ve played on a lot of winning teams up to this point, it’s kind of a different season for me… Not getting too high when we win or too low when we lose,” Curry said on his mindset going through his rookie season.

The Warriors finished the season 26–56, one of the worst records in the league, being only above the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings. Curry, a skinny kid from Davidson College, was viewed by many as a risky pick — a flashy shooter, but undersized and inexperienced at the NBA level.

Early in the season, he played in the shadow of Monta Ellis, the team’s leading scorer, who was reportedly doubtful about sharing the backcourt with another small score-first guard.

“It was out of frustration, too,” Ellis added. “At that time, there were a lot of things that were promised that didn’t happen. That’s part of what was going on with me. But it was never anything personal with Steph. It’s just that we were in the West. That wasn’t going to work.”

Despite the dysfunction, Curry’s potential was undeniable. He averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, while shooting nearly 44 percent from three. But those numbers didn’t fully capture the chaos surrounding Curry — rotating lineups, trade rumors and a fan base hoping for their team to become a playoff contender.

Finding his way

As the season went on, Curry got more comfortable. After the All-Star break, he elevated his play to another level, including a memorable 36-point, 13-assist and 10-rebound triple-double against the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2010. Finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Tyreke Evans, Curry proved that he belonged at the highest level.

“He’s just terrific to work with. I love to see him every morning when I go to practice, his work ethic. There isn’t anything negative about the guy,” Don Nelson said about his rookie during the 2009/2010 NBA season.

Off the court, Curry formed relationships with coaches, staff and the community that would only grow stronger with time. Even in a losing season, his presence offered something Warriors fans hadn’t felt in years — belief in the future.

That “rough year” didn’t break Curry — it built him. The challenges of his rookie season gave him determination and a chip on his shoulder that never really went away. Stephen learned how to compete through adversity, lead when things weren’t easy, and stay true to his game in the face of adversity.

Fifteen years later, Curry stands as the greatest shooter in NBA history, a four-time champion and the only unanimous MVP in NBA history, while also being the main reason the Warriors became the biggest dynasty of the last decade. From a 26-win team to the top of the basketball world, Steph’s journey proves that even greatness needs time and a few rough years to grow.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

“We had a rough year” – How Curry viewed his rookie season with the Warriors

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